Alkalosis can result from administration of soluble alkali1 or from deprivation of chloride2 or from both. It has been shown3 also that the alkalosis observed during "Sippy" treatment with the administration of calcium carbonate is almost invariably associated with loss of gastric chloride and that in all probability the disturbance in the acid-base balance observed under these conditions is to be attributed to the loss of chloride rather than to calcium carbonate. If this thesis is correct, it should be possible to prevent the development of alkalosis by the administration of sodium chloride coincident with the administration of alkali. A study, therefore, was undertaken to determine the effect of the simultaneous administration of sodium chloride and calcium carbonate on the acid-base balance of a series of patients with peptic ulcer.
METHOD
Sodium chloride and calcium carbonate were given concurrently to 150 patients with peptic ulcer. Eight patients