Meal stimuli

Abstract

In 1871 von Leube⁷⁴⁷ devised the first gastric function test, the analysis of the gastric residue of the fasting patient. Later he introduced the test meal (soup, beefsteak and white bread). This meal was given at noon, and at 7 p.m. the stomach was emptied by a stiff tube and the acidity of the aspirate measured.^748–9 Ewald and Boas³⁷⁸ used a similar mid-day meal of veal and bread. Later they developed the ‘test break fast’³⁷⁹ of 35 g white bread with 400 ml of water, and emptied the stomach either 1, 2 or 3 hours after this meal. There have since been many minor modifications of this test meal.⁵⁵⁶