The composition of gastric and pancreatic juices and the effects of their loss on the composition of the body fluids were studied. Loss of gastric juice by removing water and chloride ions only partly neutralized by fixed base results in dehydration and alkalosis.
Loss of pancreatic juice by removing water and a relative excess of fixed base results in dehydration and acidosis.
Normal conditions in the body may be restored after the loss of either gastric or pancreatic juice by the administration of a combined solution, which provides (1) water in abundance because of its hypotonicity (2) an adequate source of the fixed anion Cl' and of the cations Na+, K+, and Ca++ in proper physiological ratio and (3) an excess of fixed base over fixed acid in the form of B-lactate.
