Abstract
Indications for gastric analysis, comparison of intubation and tubeless techniques and the procedures of a new routine for the measurement of gastric secretion are presented. The routine suggested consists 1st of testing for the presence or absence of free gastric hydrochloric acid by tubeless gastric analysis with the azure A resin-compound (Diagnex blue). The presence of free acid by this technique usually completes the examination except in an occasional patient in whom the diagnosis of a duodenal ulcer is equivocal. In the latter, the Kay''s basal secretory and augmented histamine procedures are suggested as aids. If tubeless gastric analysis denotes achlorhydria, further investigation is necessary to establish the diagnosis of true achlorhydria or achylia. The presence of uropepsin activity eliminates the diagnosis of true achlorhydria or achylia. The combination of no uropepsin activity and no hydrochloric acid secretion by tubeless gastric analysis with orally administered histalog, as the gastric stimulant, is presumptive evidence of achylia. The Kay augmented histamine intubation technique is the most reliable procedure to detect complete achlorhydria.