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The effect of altering the pH of innervated antral pouches on the acid secretory response to either single feeds of ox heart or pentagastrin was studied in 2 dogs with innervated, and 2 dogs with denervated gastric pouches. The outputs of pepsin were also measured following the meals of ox heart. Acidification of the antral pouches inhibited the acid secretory response to ox heart, while alkalinization produced no alteration of results. The outputs of pepsin were not affected by alterations in the pH of the innervated antral pouches. Acidification of the innervated antral pouches did not alter the outputs of acid from denervated fundic pouches in response to sequential doses of pentagastrin but produced an inhibition in the response to submaximal doses from the innervated fundic pouches. The results do not support the existence of an antral inhibitory hormone, and suggest that an inhibitory mechanism is present when the intrinsic nerve pathways are intact.

Fourteen elderly patients aged 58 to 91 with varying leucocyte ascorbic acid levels had urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine ratios measured before, during, and after treatment with ascorbic acid 1 g. daily for six days. The ratio increased during treatment in those patients whose initial ascorbic acid levels were below 15mug./10(8) white blood cells. It is suggested that collagen metabolism may be impaired in these patients, and that all such patients should receive ascorbic acid supplements.