Abstract

Extensive use of the bolus method has tended to establish its value. The action of a number of drugs on intestinal propulsion was studied and the ease with which erroneous conclusions regarding propulsion may be drawn from balloon records was illustrated. These experiments were in most cases limited to jejunal loops and should be extended to other portions of the gut.

A brief augmentation of intestinal propulsive activity occurred initially after morphine but this was superseded by a decidedly more marked and prolonged depression. Decreased propulsion was also pronounced and persistent after papaverine and atropine. The action of pilocarpine was slight and inconstant. Pituitrin, pitressin and pitocin usually produced inhibition.