Nitrogen Content and Total Osmotic Activity of Gastric Juice. ∗

Summary

1. In general, pilocarpine-stimulated greater curvature gastric pouch juice has a lower osmotic activity, and high total nitrogen content than does histamine-stimulated juice. 2. Fasting juices show highly variable relations between total nitrogen content and osmotic activity. 3. Pyloric pouch fasting juice has in our experience very much higher total nitrogen content than does greater curvature pouch juice. The osmotic activity of the former is nevertheless hypertonic with respect to blood. 4. There appears to be a partial correlation between total nitrogen content and osmotic activity of gastric juice. 5. Calculated and observed osmotic activities are in reasonable agreement for six greater curvature pouch samples in which free acid was present. 6. Calculated values were 12 to 24 m.E./K. lower than the observed osmotic activity values for three pyloric pouch juices without free acid. It is suggested that part of the deficit results from neglecting in the calculation the contribution of the nitrogenous constituents.