Haemorrhage or perforation.

History.

Radiological appearances.

Response to treatment.

Gastric analysis.

Occult blood test.

Haemorrhage and perforation need not be discussed.

A history given by a patient was not necessarily reliable, since the common dyspeptic symptoms were well known and not infrequently discussed by soldiers. However, a patient's story and his reliability as a witness had to be assessed together.

X-ray examination was subject to the limitations of the apparatus available. The radiologist, however, was satisfied that he could say with some degree of certainty that a given stomach or duodenum was not the site of a chronic ulcer.

Ulcer cases and ‘ulcer like’ dyspeptics made some response to treatment while the neurotics were unaffected by rest, diet, and alkaline therapy.

The value of this test depended to some extent on the mechanical skill of the operator. The nervous group had the least number of abnormal acid curves. Achlorhydria was found only in the ‘ulcer like’ dyspeptic group.

This test proved insufficiently sensitive due to poor reagents.