Emptying of Gall Bladder and Mechanism of Common Bile Duct of Guinea Pig.

Abstract

The observations of Boyden 1 that a meal of fat is followed by partial or complete emptying of the gall bladder, proved definitely that the viscus emptied. The experiments of Boyden, 1 Whitaker, 2 Higgins and Mann, 3 and Hamrick 4 demonstrated that this emptying of the gall bladder was due to the contraction of its own intrinsic musculature. Other observers, Kodama, 5 Graham, 6 and Burget 7 have failed to empty the viscus by contracting its own intrinsic musculature. It should be noted, especially in relation to the experiments of Burget, 7 that whenever contraction of the gall bladder and expulsion of bile has been demonstrated it does not occur under an anesthetic.

We have found that under certain definite conditions the gall bladder of the guinea pig will contract and completely empty its contents within a brief period. A description of this simple experiment is given, not because it may bear any direct relationship to the normal physiologic mechanism of the gall bladder, since we have previously demonstrated that the viscus of this animal will empty following a meal of egg yolk and cream, but because it is possible to use this experiment as a classroom demonstration. Even an amateur in laboratory technic can demonstrate the emptying of the gall bladder by the contraction of its own muslculature. The routine of the experiment is as follows: