Experiments were performed to examine whether ATP or its related nucleotide is the possible transmitter substance of the non-adrenergic inhibitory nerves of the guinea-pig taenia coli by the intracellular microelectrode technique. In the presence of atropine (10^-6 g/ml), field stimulation with square-wave pulses elicited hyper-polarization of the guinea-pig taenia coli which is so-called the “inhibitory potential.” Extracellularly applied ATP, ADP, AMP and adenosine also hyperpolarized the membrane and blocked the spontaneous spike discharge. Among them, ATP and ADP were equally the most potent. Tetrodotoxin (10^-7 g/ml) prevented the inhibitory potential elicited by field stimulation, though it had no influence on the inhibitory action of ATP. Imidazole (3.5×10^-3g/ml) and phentolamine (10^-5 g/ml) antagonized the inhibitory action of ATP and other adenosine nucleotides. However, these agents failed to abolish the inhibitory potential elicited by field stimulation. Quinidine (5×10^-5-2×10^-4g/ml) antagonized the inhibitory potential elicited by field stimulation and blocked the spontaneous spike discharge, but failed to abolish the inhibitory action of ATP. It may be improbable from these data that ATP or other adenosine nucleotide is the transmitter substance of the non-adrenergic inhibitory nerves.

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Subjects of the present investigation, are 66 cases who were free from upper gastrointestinal diseases and 12 cases with achalasia. Intraluminal pressure of the esophagus was measured with the use of an open-tip method.
Presence of W-shape pattern with three high pressure zones and two low pressure zones were verified. On the basis of this W-shape pattern, an analysis was made of the resting pressure of the esophagus in 12 cases with achalasia. The results led to classify into four types. These are; disappearance of the W-shape pattern with the lowest resting pressure above 5 cm H₂O (Type 1), same as the above except for the lowest pressure below 5 cm H₂O (Type II), presence of W-shape pattern with the lowest resting pressure above 5 cm H₂O (Type III) and same as the above except for the lowest resting pressure below 5 cm H₂O (Type IV). Analytical data of the achalasia cases relatively well correlated with clinical findings and clarified significance of the pressure study for diagnosis and judgment of symptomatic severity.
In analysis of deglutition pressure waves, it seems convenient to locate a point of pressure measurement in view of three high pressure zones and two low pressure zones.

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Gallbladder motility was studied with a 16 mm slow speed cine-cholangiography. Subjects studied were twenty healthy adults, eight cases with biliary tract diseases and twelve patients with gastric diseases who underwent various gastrectomies.
After “the four-day Telepaque test” intravenous drip infusion of contrast medium was performed. The cine-cholangiography was done by an image intensifier at a speed of one frame every 2 or 4 seconds. Thirty minutes after injection three yolks were given orally and observation was continued further for about 60 and 90 minutes. The cine films taken were observed repeatedly by screen projection at various speed. At the same time the size of the gallbladder were measured by means of planimeter and a ratio of the size of every 10 minutes to initial one was calculated. And contraction curve of the gallbladder was depicted on every case.
The results obtained are as follows:
1. The phenomenon of gallbladder contraction over 90 to 120 minutes was contracted into that of about 3 to 4 minutes by normal speed projection.
2. By the intravenous drip infusion of contrast medium the size of the gallbladder was a little enlarged. And the yolk administration made the contraction of it about one half of the initial size within 40 minutes. All of these contraction curves never show the straight line but have 2 or 3 undulations in normal cholecystometric pattern.
3. In cases with gallstone diseases the cholecystometric curves did not show the typical contraction pattern after the administration of yolks. The size of gallbladder was nearly the same as initial one in all process of contraction except one case with a large solitary cholesterol stone whose cholecystometric study revealed the pattern of rapid evacuation.
4. In patients with gastric diseases before operation the cholecystometric curves showed the same pattern as normal.
However, contraction curves showed the pattern which indicates the delayed evacuation after gastrectomies. Especially this phenomenon was remarkable in patients who underwent total or proximal gastrectomies. It is from the results conceivable that this delayed evacuation of the gallbladder after operation is due to vagotomy.

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