HISTORICAL. 385 



the four stomachs of the ruminants. Vidius (t 1567) noticed the numerous small 

 apertures of the gastric glands. Van Helmont (t 1644) expressly notices the 

 acidity of the stomach. Reaumur (1752) knew that a juice was secreted by the 

 stomach, which effected solution, and with which he and Spallanzani performed 

 experiments on digestion outside the body. Carminati (1785) found that the 

 stomachs of carnivora during digestion secreted a very acid juice. Prout (1824) 

 discovered the hydrochloric acid of the gastric juice, Sprott and Boyd (1836) the 

 glands of the gastric mucous membrane, while Wasmann and Bischoff noted the two 

 kinds of gastric glands. After Beaumont (1834) had made his observations upon 

 Alexis St. Martin, who had a gastric fistula, caused by a gunshot wound, Bassow 

 (1842) and Blondlot (1843) made the first artificial gastric fistulas upon animals. 

 Eberle (1834) prepared artificial gastric juice. Mialhe called albumin, when 

 altered by gastric digestion, albuminose; Lehmann, who investigated this sub- 

 stance more carefully, gave it the name peptone. Schwann isolated pepsin (1836), 

 and established the fact of its activity in the presence of hydrochloric acid. 



Pancreas, Bile, Intestinal Digestion. The pancreas was known to the 

 Hippocratic School; Maur. Hoffmaun (1642) demonstrated its duct (fowl), and 

 Wirsung described it in man. Regner cle Graaf (1664) collected the pancreatic 

 juice from a fistula, and Tiedmann and Gmelin found it to be alkaline, while 

 Leuret and Lassaigne found that it resembled saliva. Valentin discovered its 

 diastatic action, Eberle its emulsionising power, and Cl. Bernard (1846) its tryptic 

 and fat- splitting properties. The last-mentioned function was referred to by 

 Purkinje and Pappenheim (1836). 



Aristotle characterised the bile as a useless excretion; according to Erasistratus 

 (304 B.C.), fine invisible channels conduct the bile from the liver into the gall- 

 bladder. Aretaeus ascribed icterus to obstruction of the bile-duct. Benedetti 

 (1493) described gall-stones. According to Jasolinus (1573), the gall-bladder is 

 emptied by its own contractions. Sylvius de la Boe noticed the lymphatics of the 

 liver (1640); Walaeus, the connective-tissue of the so-called capsule of Glisson 

 (1641). Haller indicated the uses of bile in the digestion of fats. 



The liver-cells were described by Henle, Purkinje, and Dutrochet (1838). 

 Heynsius discovered the urea, and Cl. Bernard (1853) the sugar in the liver, and he 

 and Hensen (1857) found glycogen in the liver. Kiernan gave a more exact descrip- 

 tion of the hepatic blood-vessels (1834). Beale injected the lymphatics, and Gerlach 

 the finest bile-ducts. Schwann (1844) made the first biliary fistula; Demarcay 

 particularly referred to the combination of the bile acids with soda (1838); Strecker 

 discovered the soda compounds of both acids, and isolated them. 



Corn. Celsus mentions nutrient enemata (3-5 A.D.) Fallopius (1561) described 

 the valvulte conm'ventes and villi of the intestinal mucous membrane, and the 

 nervous plexus of the mesentery. The agminated glands or patches of Peyer were 

 known to Severinus (1645). 



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