[AP. III.] FAT-SPLITTING POWER OF PANCREATIC JUICE. 



213 



Various methods have been suggested by Claude Bernard for 

 [hibiting this characteristic reaction, of which the following are the 

 def; the second being specially "recommended. 



1. An infusion of linseed is shaken with a little butter so as to 

 lulsionize it completely, and is then coloured faintly blue by 



leans of litmus. If to a little of the blue emulsion a fragment of 

 icreas be added, and the mixture be digested at 38 C. for some 

 the blue colour changes to red. 



2. An ethereal solution of butter (which should be neutral) is 

 le, and a solution of litmus of such strength that a stratum half a 



lillimetre thick presents a distinctly blue tint. 



A fragment of pancreas is placed on a glass slide, and is then 

 jated with a drop of rectified spirit ; it is then teased with needles, 

 that the alcohol should bathe every part. Enough alcohol should 

 in contact with the tissue to allow of its remaining bathed in it for 

 mt a quarter of an hour. At the end of that time, the excess of 

 Icohol is sucked up with blotting-paper, and the fragment of tissue is 

 igated with a drop or two of the ethereal solution of butter, and is 

 at the same time, so as to bring the fatty matters as much as 

 dble in contact with the tissue. A fragment of the tissue is then 

 in a glass cell, one millimetre deep, containing a tincture of 

 iue litmus, which is then covered with a cover-glass. In a few 

 loments, as the tissue becomes soaked with the solution of litmus, a 

 area appears around it, and after a certain time the whole of the 

 [uid becomes red, the red colour being intense in proportion as the 

 icture of litmus was blue. 



It may be asked whether the acid reaction is not due to the tissue 



the pancreas ? but that it is not appears to be proved by the fact 



lat when the pancreas is treated exactly as stated above, with the 



:ception that no fat is added, the acid reaction is not developed. 



'ie Author can, from his own observations, confirm these statements 



Bernard. 



It was known to Claude Bernard that the pancreas 

 only possesses its power of decomposing fats so long as 

 it is fresh. Bidder and Schmidt 1 pointed out that the 

 power which the pancreas possesses of decomposing the 

 neutral fats is inhibited by the presence of acids, and 

 this has been particularly insisted upon by Griitzner 2 . 

 Glycerin extracts of pancreas are usually inactive as 

 regards fats, and this because the acidification of the gland has 

 occurred before the glycerin could have access to it. 



The fat-de- 

 composing 

 power of the 

 pancreas is 

 lost when its 

 reaction be- 

 comes acid. 



1 Bidder and Schmidt, Die Verdauungssdfte, p. 250. 



- Griitzner, 'Notizen iiber einige ungeformte Fermente des Saugethierorganismus,' 

 Pfliiger's Archiv, Vol. xn. (1876), p. 302 et seq. 



