1890.] On the Influence of Bile on Pancreatic Digestion. 103 



starch. By experiments conducted as those above detailed, we have 

 found that this retardation occurs also in the presence of bile salts, 

 although it is not so great as with the carbonate alone. In one expe- 

 riment four vessels were taken, each containing distilled water in which 

 2 per cent, starch had been boiled, and 1 per cent, bile salts subse- 

 quently added and dissolved, to B 0'25 per cent. NaoC0 3 , to C 0'5 per- 

 cent. Na^COs, and to D 1 per cent. Na 3 CO 3 . The mixtures were 

 digested with equal quantities of pancreatin for nine minutes at 

 39 C., boiled, and neutralised. The amount of dextrose as estimated 

 by Fehling's method, was : In A 0'83 per cent. ; in B O55 per cent. ; 

 in C 0'492 per cent. ; in D 0'3773 per cent. Even in the presence of 

 an excess of carbonate of sodium, however, the addition of bile salts 

 does favour the progress of pancreatic digestion of starch, as shown by 

 the following experiment. Four vessels, each containing equal quan- 

 tities of distilled water in which 2 per cent, of starch had been boiled, 

 were taken ; to B and D 1 per cent, bile salts were added and dissolved, 

 to C and D O5 per cent, carbonate of sodium was added and dip- 

 solved. The mixtures were digested with equal quantities of pancreatin 

 for 11 minutes at a temperature of 37 C., and then boiled and neu- 

 tralised. The amount of sugar estimated as dextrose by Fehling's 

 method was : 



A. Pancreatin ........................ O695 per cent. 



B. Pancreatin + bile salts ............... 0'952 



C. Pancreatin + Na 2 C0 3 ....... 0'208 



D. Pancreatin + bile salts -l-NagCC^ ....... 0*384 



Digestion of Proteids in the Presence of Bile. 



Experiments were also made to test the influence of bile on pan- 

 creatic proteolytic digestion. 



Bile Salts. The fluid to be digested was made by diluting egg- 

 albumen with distilled water, agitating, neutralising with acetic acid, 

 and straining the resultant mixture through muslin. Measured 

 quantities of this albuminous fluid were ac the time of experiment 

 coagulated by heat and one or two drops of acetic acid ; the digestion 

 was conducted in the same vessel as coagulation was effected. 



Experiment L Three beakers, A, B, and C, each containing 120 c.c. 

 of diluted egg-albumen, coagulated in the manner above described, 

 were taken, and to each was added 1 per cent, of sodic carbonate ; to 

 A 2 per cent, of bile salts of the pig was added and dissolved ; to A 

 and B 1 gram of pig's pancreatic extract rich in proteolytic ferment 

 was added, and all three beakers placed in a warm chamber at 35 C.. 

 and digested for three hours. The albumen in A at the end of that 

 time appeared to be much more digested than that in B ; that in C 

 was unchanged. The fluids were then rapidly boiled, to stop all 



