School of Medicine, University of Nairobi

Although the first scientific methods of studying gastri8 physiology were started towards the end of the last century, principally by the Pavlov School of Physiologists, it is only recently that major advances have been made. Of the many diseases that affect the stomach and the duodenum, there is considerable evidence associating peptic ulceration with variations in gastric juice secretion, in particular, the volume and concentration of the hydrochloric acid and pepsin components. The wide variety and the rapidly changing forms of treatment of peptic ulceration signifies our inadequate knowledge not only of the aetiology of the condition, but also that of the normal control of gastric juice secretion. The many recent excellent general reviews on the subject of gastric secretion include: Farrar and Bowerl, Gillespie2, and Myren and Semb3, This thesis deals with a series of experiments carried out on dogs, to assess the normal control of gastric acid secretion. There are three main sections, viz: 1. ~cid Responses of Denervated Fundic (Heide'nhain) Pouches to meals compared with those to Histamine and Pentagastrin. 2. Vagal influence on antral gastrin release. 3. The contribution of the vagus nerves and the stomach to acid response to a meal. Each section of the thesis is complete with introduction, Ii experimental details, results, discussion and conclusions.