SUMMARY Motor activity of the colon in the immediate postoperative period has been studied in human subjects using radiotelemetering capsules, radioopaque markers and serial abdominal radiographs.Following operations outside the abdomen there is a delay of about 16 hours before colonic activity returns. After abdominal operations the delay is from 40 to 48 hours.The length of an operation has no significant effect upon the duration of colonic ileus. The amount of postoperative analgesia has no significant effect upon the duration of colonic ileus. Gaseous distension after laparotomy is confined to the colon.It is well recognized that following operation the motility of the gastrointestinal tract is temporarily impaired. At times this is more prolonged and, if associated with gaseous distension, develops into paralytic ileus. It has been shown in experimental animals that the activity of the small intestine returns to normal within a few hours following surgery (Tinckler, 1965;Baker and Webster, 1968). Early return of activity has also been shown in man using a radiotelemetering capsule (Ross, Watson, and Kay, 1963 (Nachlas, Younis, Roda, and Wityk, 1972;Neely, 1968). Most of these studies have been radiological observations of barium in the gastrointestinal tract, and, althoughthestudies have been primarily directed at the stomach, most workers have observed that barium is also held up in the colon. Study of the colon has not been taken further than this one observation.The present study investigates in more detail the motor behaviour of the colon in the postoperative

EDITORIAL COMMENT This paper sets out the principles for measuring the surface area of small intestine and demonstrates that it decreases sharply from proximal to distal intestine.Despite wide interest in the small intestine brought about by modem biopsy techniques and absorption studies, quantitative knowledge of the basic structure of the small intestine remains slight.The irregularity of the mucosal surface caused by the villi and the submucosal folds increases the area available for absorption. The size and distribution of the villi and folds vary from one end of the intestine to the other and there is, therefore, a variation in mucosal area per centimetre length along the intestine.Early attempts were made to estimate mucosal surface area by measuring and counting individual villi. These gave widely varying results (Heidenhain, 1888;Krogh, 1929 In this study the mucosal area at different levels has been measured in human intestine obtained at necropsy after fixation in situ. METHODSAt necropsy, with the minimum of handling, ties were placed around the proximal jejunum and terminal ileum. A T-shaped cannula was tied into the most prominent presenting loop of intestine and the gut distended to a pressure of 40 cm. H.0 with 40% formaldehyde. After leaving the gut undisturbed for one hour it was removed with its mesentery and placed in formol saline for a further 24 hours. It was then closely shom of its mesentery, its length measured, and samples cut out at measured intervals from the duodeno-jejunal flexure. From each site two samples, about 4 cm. in length, were taken, one circumferential and one longitudinal. Care was taken to cut the circumferential specimen between and parallel to the submucosal folds.After embedding in paraffin, histological sections were cut at a thickness of 5 & and stained with haematoxylin and eosin. Sections were then projected at a linear magnification of 100 on to tracing paper and the outlines of mucosa, muscularis mucosae, and serosa traced in pencil. Measurements of the tracings were made with an opisometer calibrated in centimetres.Material from six necropsies was studied. The causes of death were renal failure, carcinoma of the bronchus, vulva, and kidney, and, in two cases, myocardial ischaemia. Ages ranged from 38 to 81.

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