Lavage

Reichmann, and later Riegel, recommend the use of lavage of the stomach as the best means of improving its condition. While Riegel washes out the stomach in the evening six to seven hours after the heavy meal, Reichmanu and most writers administer the lavage in the fasting condition. The latter way is also employed by myself; it has the advantage that, by emptying the stomach in the fasting condition, we-are better enabled to judge of the quantity of juice present, at a time when normally there should be none; and also that no food whatever is removed from the stomach.

1 Wolff: Zeitschrift f. klin. Med., Bd. xvi.

2F. Riegel: "Die Erkrankungen des Magens," Wien, 1890, p. 268.

Instead of lavage Boas recommends emptying the-stomach by means of a tube in the fasting condition (expression method).

In order to combat more effectively the undue secretion, Reichmann recommends adding nitrate of silver to the water used in washing out the stomach. After it has been washed out with plain water, 300 c.c. of a 1 or 2:1,000 solution of nitrate of silver is poured into the organ, and left there for about five minutes,, when it is withdrawn by siphonage.

Spraying The Stomach

Instead of the latter proceeding I have sprayed out the stomach after washing with a 1 or 2:1,000 nitrate-of-silver solution. In many cases I found this method of treatment of great benefit.

Direct Galvanization

The first of my observed cases of gastrosuccorrhoea chronica was a very obstinate one, and the affection did not yield much to either the medicinal treatment or to the use of lavage. I empirically tried direct galvanization of the organ, and after a treatment of a few weeks the stomach began to be empty in the morning, and has remained so for several years. Since then it has been my custom to make use of this method in this affection, and I must say that the result has been very gratifying. Very often I employ both spraying with nitrate of silver and direct galvanization, applying them alternately.