336 DIGESTION. 



After this lias been accomplished, the canula may be 

 steadied by attaching it with a single stitch to the wall of the 

 intestine. The stylet is now to be withdrawn and the parts 

 carefully returned to the abdomen, leaving the end of the 

 canula projecting at the anterior portion of the wound, 

 which should now be carefully closed. Bernard recommends 

 to first raise up the fascia and peritoneum with hooks and 

 carefully attach their edges with sutures ; and then to close, 

 in the same way, the incision in the muscles and integument. 



The animal may now be kept upon the table, and the 

 fluid which is discharged from the tube collected in a test- 

 tube, or a thin gnm-elastic-bag may be attached. This 

 may be provided with a stop-cock, so that the fluid may be 

 drawn off at will. 



Like the other digestive fluids, the pancreatic juice is only 

 secreted in abundance during the process of digestion. It is 

 therefore necessary to feed the animal moderately about an 

 hour before the operation, so that the pancreas may be in full 

 activity. When it is exposed at that time, it is filled with 

 blood and has a rosy tint, contrasting strongly w r ith its pale 

 appearance during the intervals of digestion. 



In performing the above experiment, it is generally better 

 not to employ an anaesthetic agent, as this almost always 

 produces vomiting, arrests digestion for a time, and conse- 

 quently interferes with the secretion of the pancreatic juice. 

 This, however, is not always the case. We have sometimes 

 performed the operation with the aid of ether and obtained 

 a fair amount of fluid. It is also necessary to avoid traction 

 upon the duodenum as much as possible, for this is almost sure 

 to produce vomiting. To obtain the best results, the opera- 

 tion should be performed rapidly and with very little expo- 

 sure of the pancreas. In some very successful experiments, 

 Bernard has obtained from sixty to one hundred grains of 

 juice in an hour, from a dog of medium size. 1 



1 BERNARD, Memoire sur le Pancreas, Paris, 1856, pp. 46, 47. 



