582 THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. 



or obstruction of the ducts, from old areas of necrosis or haemorrhage, 

 and in other ways. ' 



Concretions of carbonate and phosphate of lime are frequently found 

 in the pancreatic ducts. They are usually multiple, small, whitish, 

 smooth, or of rough and irregular shape. Sometimes, however, they 

 reach a diameter of more than an inch. They consist chiefly of calcium 

 phosphate and carbonate. Besides these free concretions the walls of 

 the ducts are sometimes encrusted with salts of lime. Such concretions 

 may produce dilatation of the pancreatic ducts and large cysts, or more 

 rarely abscesses. 



Foreign Bodies. Gall stones sometimes find their way into the pancre- 

 atic duct. Ascarides have been found in the ducts in a considerable 

 number of cases. 



1 Consult Tilger, "Cysts of Pancreas," Virch. Arch., Bd. cxxxvii., 348, bibliography; 

 also Fitz, Trans. Assn. Am. Phys., vol. xv., p. 254, 1900. 



