PANCREAS SPLEEN IN THE HORSE. 65 



follows that a great part of the bile, or of its chemical constit- 

 uents, must be re-absorbed after it has been poured into the 

 duodenum. 



Pancreas or Sweetbread. The pancreas lies across the spine 

 in the curvature of the duodenum, and in the epigastric region 

 (fig. 5). In its structure it resembles the salivary glands, and 

 its secretion has a great resemblance to saliva. It consists of 

 a head or right large extremity, a body, and tail. A portion of 

 the gland, sometimes marked off from the rest, is called the 

 lesser pancreas. The peritoneum merely passes over the pan- 

 creas without affording it a distinct coat. It is abundantly 

 supplied with blood-vessels, nerves, and lymphatics, from the 

 same sources as the adjacent organs. It consists of numerous 

 lobes and lobules of various sizes, held together by areolar 

 tissue, blood-vessels, and ducts. The principal excretory duct 

 runs through the entire length of the gland from left to right. 

 As the duct advances towards the head of the pancreas, it 

 receives a duct from the lesser pancreas, and finally joins with 

 the hepatic duct to enter the duodenum together. 



The pancreatic juice is colourless, transparent, and slightly 

 viscid. When fresh, it is alkaline, and is said to contain a 

 peculiar animal matter, termed pancreatine, and salts similar 

 to those found in saliva, except that no trace of sulphocyanogen 

 has been discovered. 



Starch appears to be acted on by the pancreatic juice even 

 more powerfully than by the saliva. It appears that the raw 

 starch granules which resist the action of the gastric juice are 

 dissolved in the duodenum ; the bile does not appear to be 

 capable of such an effect, so that it must be attributed to the 

 pancreatic juice. This juice also seems to emulsify the fat. 

 Some doubt still exists on the question whether the pancreatic 

 juice can dissolve albuminous substances. 



Spleen or Milt. The spleen is a spongy organ very full 



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