. AMYLACEOUS SUBSTANCES. 105 



40 centig. [= 95 to 104 Fahr.] shortly dissolved it ; 

 the liquid became transparent, and, subsequently, every 

 trace of starch disappeared. 



The same effect is produced if, instead of the pancreatic 

 fluid, we employ a piece of the pancreas of the pigeon, or 

 of some other animal. I shall use the pancreas of a pigeon. 

 Having pounded it, I add some of the pounded substance 

 to the fecula, and heat the mixture to 40 centig. [= 104 

 Fahr.] The fecula dissolves, and is converted into dextrine 

 or sugar. 



This is the state to which starchy substances are re- 

 duced before they are absorbed. There must exist, then, 

 in the juice of the pancreas, and perhaps, also, as Magendie 

 asserts, in the saliva, a substance which acts upon starch 

 like diastase. 



It is singular that this action requires the presence of a free 

 alkali ; for, if the pancreatic juice be acidulated, it ceases 

 to act on starch, but, according to Bernard and Barreswil, 

 acquires the property of acting upon the neutral azotised 

 substances. We must, therefore, conclude, that a single 

 organic substance has the property of dissolving fecula and 

 the azotised neutral matters, provided that we add, when 

 we act on the first, a free alkali, and when on the second, 

 a free acid. 



We have now to ascertain whether the starch thus con- 

 verted into dextrine and sugar, by the saliva and pancreatic 

 juice, passes in this state into the blood, or whether it is 

 converted into lactic acid. 



It is in the blood of some diabetic patients only, that su- 

 gar has been found. The hypothesis, that the conversion 

 of starch into dextrine and sugar terminates in the formation 

 of lactic acid, which is absorbed and passed into the circu- 

 lation, seems to be more in accordance with facts. We 

 must not forget the important discovery made by Fremy, 



