OS PHYSIOLOGY OF THE PANCREAS, 



Secretins prepared from the dog, cat, Echidna lii/strix, wallaby 

 {Petrogale inornafa), tortoise {CheJodina JougicoUis), and ibis, 

 were active on the pancreas of the dog. 



On the other hand, no pancreatic juice could be obtained in the 

 echidna. Five animals were used, and secretins from the echidna, 

 dog, cat, and wallaby were tried. Eleven active extracts in all 

 were introduced into the jugular veins of the echidnas, and care 

 was taken to see that no mechanical blocking of the tube 

 occurred. This result was surprising, but as it was tested on 

 five animals I mention it. As opportunity arises I shall further 

 test this question. 



Properties of the pancreatic secretion obtained. — This was 

 tested upon live occasions, three by myself and twice by Mr. J. L. 

 Shellshear, a medical student working in the laboratory. The 

 liuid was clear, colourless, limpid and odourless. Its specific 

 gravity taken with a pyknometer was 1014. Its alkalinity was 

 such that 10 c.c. required 13-2 c.c. of y^ HCl to neutralise it. 

 The solids were 2-9 parts in 100, and the ash was 0*69 parts. It 

 contained a ferment setting free fatty acid from neutral fat, and 

 another converting starch into maltose. 



The secretion digested fresh fibrin, but did not affect fibrin 

 which had been previously heated to 80"" C. for thirty minutes 

 in a water-bath. After treatment with enterokinase it rapidly 

 digested fibrin, and coagulated egg-white. 



It was further found that leucocytes contain a body like entero- 

 kinase. Whipped fibrin from a dog was washed and heated to 

 80' C. in a water-bath. Portions of this were then placed beneath 

 the skin of a dog for twenty-four hours. Leucocytes were found 

 to have penetrated the fibrin, by microscopic examination. 



Series of tubes containing (a) heated fibrin and pancreatic 

 juice, (6) fibrin impregnated with leucocytes and pancreatic juice, 

 and (c) heated fibrin and activated pancreatic juice, were then 

 arranged. The tubes were kept sterile by the addition of 2 % 

 sodium fluoride or 2 /{ potassium arsenite. Three tubes were 

 used for each set, making nine in all. The fibrin was digested in 



