90 



In view of the recent observations of Laguesse, "Weichselbaum 

 and Kyrle, and Bensley, of a continuit}' of the duct with island 

 tissue, I was on the lookout for a possible confirmation of this in 

 the adult human pancreas. Although janus green does not stain the 

 ducts specifically, I hoped to find some indication of continuity if it 

 existed. In the adult pancreases examined by this method such 

 continuity has been observed once, (subject Xo. 7). In several other 

 teased preparations from these subjects indications of continuity 

 were seen, but these w^ere not definite enough to be beyond doubt. 

 Thus in No. 6 some of the smaller ducts were also slightly stained 

 and here and there relatively small islands were observed in apposi- 

 tion or in apparent connection with the duct or its branches. 



Fig. 2, which is drawn from a hasty free-hand sketch, well illustrates 

 the continuity in question. The staining in the ducts was considerably 



Fig. 2. Ductules in continuity with two islets, b and c. No definite con- 

 nection was observed between islands a and the duct with which it is in close 

 relation. The small ductules retained a faint island stain after janus green. The 

 remainder of the duct remained practically unstained. The drawing was made from 

 a free-hand sketch of a preparation from subject 7 magnified 78 diameters. 



fainter than in the islands. The fact, however, that these particular 

 small ductules stained in a measure similar to the island cells, when 

 added to the observation of a continuity betw^een island and duct 

 tissue would suggest a probable interrelation between them, as has 

 been shown by Bensley to be the case in the guinea pig. 



Regarding the distribution of the islets within even a relatively small 

 area or in neighboring lobules the greatest variation is to be observed 

 here, in conformity with he results of Laguesse, Opie, Heiberg and 

 Bensley. A given lobule may be fairly studded with islands while 

 its neighbor is almost devoid of island tissue. Thus within a single 

 small teased piece of pancreas from subject No. 7, I have observed an 



