Abstract
The literature on the human fetus contains records of several studies devoted to the time of origin of function in the digestive system. Thus, the presence of gastric glands at the 4th and 5th month has been reported 1 , 2 and various enzymes have been identified at about the 4th month.3-6 From such observations as these, it has been inferred that the fetus is prepared to carry on various digestive processes in advance of birth. Also, as is well known, premature infants may survive. It is, however, an entirely different question as to whether the fetus can actually digest food during the time when its nutrition is being supplied via the placenta.
Recently, methods of experimenting directly upon fetal rats have been devised. These methods involve subjecting fetuses to surgical procedures and subsequently returning them to the maternal abdominal cavity for varying periods of time, the placental circulation being maintained intact throughout. 7
As a means of securing direct evidence concerning antenatal digestive abilities, these operative procedures were utilized in the present series of exploratory experiments.† A total of 73 rat fetuses, with placental circulation kept intact, were subjected to laparotomy and subsequent return to the maternal abdominal cavity. 8 Of these, 48 lived to autopsy, giving an overall survival value of of approximately 66%. The fetuses were divided into three dietary series.
In the first group (Table I), raw beef or venison, in amounts ranging from 1.0 to 3.5 mg, was inserted directly into the exteriorized fetal stomach through a minute perforation in the stomach wall. The latter was then closed with a single stitch, the fetal abdominal wall was sutured, and the fetus returned to the maternal abdominal cavity. At autopsy, the stomach contents were examined,
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