Abstract
The story of the function of the duodenum has not been completely told because it is not entirely known. The entire tube of the small intestine, whose mucous membrane has the power to alter food substances chemically and transform them into a product which is capable of absorption into the blood stream for conversion into energy for the manifold metabolic requirements of the entire organism, is indeed still a source of inspiration for study and research. The duodenum itself- is a vitally important factor in the entire process. When it is considered that into it empty the complicated pancreatic, biliary and gastric secretions, its importance cannot be overestimated. The story of the physiology of the stomach and small intestine fills many volumes and is s till very incomplete and probably inaccurate. Newer and more exact refinements in research technique in chemistry and physics will shed more light on this important subject. | Using new and improved methods of intubation and analysis it has been possible to more accurately study the contents and some of the functions of the duodenum, with special emphasis on the lowering of acid as it enters the duodenum. All experiments were carried out in normal human subjects to set up normal ranges of various types of data to be used in the future on research in patients having duodenal ulcers. Many workers have studied duodenal contents but have been hampered by contamination from gastric secretions and the succus entericus of the rest of the small intestine. Many of these workers have also confined their efforts to pH studies which do not give us a clear picture of acid lowering. In the experiments used for this paper a new "block" method was used to eliminate contamination, and by determining chloride concentrations and volume of secretion, a more scientific picture is drawn of duodenal activity.