From previous studies on serotonin it seemed possible that it might play a major role in determining ,he rhythm of the bowel in man. This hypothesis was tested, with negative results, by observing the effect of giving bananas, a rich natural-source of serotonin, to normal subjects and by measuring the excretion of 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid in patients with diarrhoea.

No abstract

EDITORIAL SYNOPSIS This report shows that an intragastric milk drip alone has a poor antacid action upon the nocturnal gastric secretion in duodenal ulcer patients. Milk containing 20 g. of sodium bicarbonate per litre is more effective and superior to a chelated aluminium compound, Glymaxil, given in 5 % or 10 % solution. About three-quarters of the gastric samples from the milk-bicarbonate trial were less acid than pH 4.