POSTOPERATIVE GAS PAINS and abdominal distention represent the most frequent complication of surgical procedures, yet, as Ochsner1stated, "their importance does not seem to be universally appreciated, nor have they been accorded the thoughtful consideration they warrant." There is little doubt that a means of obviating these problems would be a welcome addition to the armamentarium of surgical care. These apparently minor complications are thought to be the result of an adynamic ileus following intestinal manipulation, but it is obvious that similar complaints have been observed following extraperitoneal procedures, such as hernioplasties, mastectomies, and so forth. Two factors are probably related to the production of abdominal distention and gas pains: (1) sympathetic overactivity affecting the gastrointestinal tract, and (2) accumulation of an abnormal quantity of air within the gastrointestinal tract. It had been felt, generally, that the distention following peritonitis or surgical manipulation within the abdominal cavity was due