DEPRESSION OF GASTRIC MOTILITY WITHOUT ELEVATION OF BODY TEMPERATURE FOLLOWING THE INJECTIONS OF PYROGENS

Abstract

Continuous gastric motility 3-6 hrs. was stimulated by small doses of prostig-min, in unanesthetized fasting dogs provided with a gold plated steel cannula. Balloon records of that motility were obtained with an oil-CCl4 manometer. The following pyro-genic substances were injected intraven.: pentnucleotide, thymus and yeast nucleic acid, B. coli vaccine, triple typhoid vaccine, a crystalline prep. of bacterial pyrogens, and tap water. The amt. of pyrogenic substance injected was decreased in successive expts. until no rise of rectal temp. beyond 0.3[degree]C. occurred. In a great number of these expts. depression of gastric motility resulted, with no change in rectal temp, and no subjective signs in most of the animals. These results may explain dyspepsias during colds and other infectious diseases, in which no or only a slight elevation of body temp. occurs. It is also possible that enterogastrone and the gastric inhibitory substances prepared from urine owe more or less of their effect to traces of pyrogenic substances which they contain, that is, they may contain sub-threshold doses of pyrogens in regard to body temp., but not in regard to gastric function.