Nausea and vomiting occur commonly with gastroenteritis caused by parvovirus-like agents. Infection results in histologic injury to the small bowel mucosa, but the gastric mucosa remains unaffected. We have studied gastric emptying of liquids serially in 10 volunteers before and after ingestion of the parvovirus-like agents, Norwalk and Hawaii viruses. The five subjects who developed illness all showed marked delays in gastric emptying, while the five well subjects had no alteration of emptying. Five addition volunteers who developed Norwalk virus gastroenteritis underwent serial studies of gastric secretion of hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and intrinsic factor. No change was detected in either basal or betazole-stimulated secretion of these three substances during the course of illness. The nausea and vomiting accompanying this type of viral gastroenteritis may result from abnormal gastric motor function.

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Fifty barium-enema studies were performed with glucagon and 50 with a placebo to compare their effect on colonic spasm, patient discomfort, and diagnostic quality. Each drug was administered in a randomized double-blind fashion and was injected intramuscularly 10 minutes before beginning the enema. Bowel relaxation during fluoroscopy was graded. Patients were questioned about discomfort during and immediately after the enema, and radiographs were reviewed blindly for diagnostic quality and degree of spasm. Studies done with glucagon produced significantly less spasm and discomfort and better diagnostic quality compared to the placebo (p less than 0.01).