“…It is also recognized that the severity of reflux symptoms, the ease with which reflux occurs, and the degree of oesophagitis are poorly correlated (Tuttle, Bettarello, and Grossman, 1960;Siegel and Hendrix, 1963;Ward, Wright, and Collis, 1970;Woodward, 1970) factors governing their relationships are not understood. Secondary peristalsis induced by a surge of refluxed gastric contents has been considered as a protective mechanism emptying the oesophageal lumen of irritant juices (Creamer, 1955;Nagler and Spiro, 1961).…”