PROPERTIES OF PANCREATIC FLUID AND BILE. 173 



case, however, already referred to, the digestive action of the fluid poured 

 forth by the lower part of the Jejunum and Ileum upon fatty bodies intro- 

 duced into them through the fistulous orifice, was exceedingly imperfect. 



122. If the part played by the pancreatic fluid in the digestion of fatty 

 bodies is still in some measure doubtful, its capability of effecting a solution 

 and metamorphosis of albuminous bodies is still more difficult to determine. 

 There appears, however, to be good reason for believing that the view origi- 

 nally held by Corvisart 1 is correct, to the effect that healthy pancreatic juice, 

 or the infusion of a healthy pancreas, or even a solution of precipitated pan- 

 creatin in distilled water, possesses a distinctly solvent action on albuminous 

 compounds, converting them into peptones without the supervention of any 

 signs of putrefaction. The following experiment, performed by Meissner, 

 affords material confirmation of the accuracy of the views entertained by Cor- 

 visart. The duodenum in a dog was thoroughly washed out with a stream of 

 warm water, and surrounded by a ligature above and below the point of en- 

 trance of the large duct of the pancreas. By this proceeding the entrance of 

 the secretion of the superior duct, and of the bile through the ductus com- 

 munis choledochus, was excluded. And now, the animal having previously 

 been kept fasting for fifteen hours, 34 grammes of hard-boiled white of egg 

 were introduced into the loop of intestine, confined between the ligatures, 

 whilst 20 grammes were at the same time introduced into the stomach, to sup- 

 ply the ferment with which he believes it is requisite that the pancreas should 

 be charged. After the lapse of fifteen hours the duodenum was examined, 

 when 150 grammes of neutral fluid were found quite free from any odor of 

 putrefaction, with 4 grammes of undissolved albumen; 30 grammes of this 

 substance had consequently been dissolved. Pancreatic peptones differ, ac- 

 cording to Diakonow," from those produced by the gastric juice, in their pre- 

 cipitability by acids, and by most acid salts; (the acid phosphate of soda, 

 however, being especially excepted). Kiihne 3 has shown that by the con- 

 tinued action of the juice on the newly formed peptone, leucin and tyrosin 

 appear in the fluid, indicating that regressive metamorphosis of albumen 

 or a kind of luxus-consumption may occur previous to absorption in the 

 intestinal canal, since these same substances can be obtained from albumen 

 by the action of acids at a boiling temperature. Inclol (a substance belong- 

 ing to the indigo series) and Naphthylamiu have also been discovered in 

 pancreatic chyme. All observers are agreed that the most active pancreatic 

 juice is obtained from an animal in full digestion, as it is only at that time 

 that the gland is thoroughly charged with the pancreatic ferment that is 

 capable of digesting albuminous compounds. In a remarkable and well- 

 observed case of atrophy of the liver and pancreas described by Dr. J. A. Fles, 

 a considerable quantity of fat and undigested muscular fibre was found to pass 

 away in the faeces, but after the daily adminstration of a calf's pancreas nearly 

 all the fat and a great proportion of the muscular tissue disappeared. 4 



123. The Duodenum receives not only the Pancreatic, but also the Biliary 

 secretion ; and from the constancy with which this fluid is poured into the 

 upper part of the intestinal tube, or even into the stomach itself, in all ani- 

 mals which have any kind of hepatic apparatus, it seems a legitimate infer- 



1 Sur tine Function pen connue du Pancreas, Paris, 1857-58. 



2 Hoppe-Seyler's Med. Chem. Untersuch., 1867, p. 243. 



3 Kiihne, Physiolog. Chemie, 1865, p. 118. 



4 Donders's Archiv, 1862, Bd. iii, pt. ii, p. 187. A practical application of the di- 

 gestive powers of the pancreatic secretion has been made by Dr. Dobell, who uses an 

 emulsion of the fresh gland in certain forms of indigestion. A combined solution of 

 pepsin and pancmitin has also been used with good effect by Mr. Kinkead. See Lan- 

 cet, 1870, ii, p. 667. 



