THE PANCREAS. 105 



upwards into the stomach : it then often produces only slight derangement of 

 the functions and sensations connected with that viscus; but sometimes vio- 

 lent vertigo, and even convulsions, seem to have arisen merely from the presence 

 of a large quantity of bile in the stomach : for they have gone off completely 

 upon the discharge of bile by vomiting. 



Notwithstanding these effects of bile in certain cases, in which a great deal of 

 it exists in the stomach, it is often carried into the mass of blood in large 

 quantities, and appears to be mixed with the serum, and to circulate through 

 the body, without producing any very sensible effect : thus many persons 

 who are deeply tinged by bile in their blood, experience but few effects that 

 can be imputed to the mixture of it with the circulating fluids : and neither 

 the brain nor the heart appears to be much influenced by the circumstance. 



Bile is miscible with water and with alcohol, and also with oily substances ; 

 and it often assumes a green color, when mixed with acids. The color of 

 the alvine discharges is derived from the bile, and they are therefore some- 

 times very green, when the acetous fermentation takes place in the contents 

 of the stomach and bowels. 



It is asserted by some chemists, that ten parts in eleven of the human bile 

 consist of water; that albuminous matter composes about one- forty-sixth 

 part of it ; and that there is nearly an equal quantity of resinous matter in it. 

 There is also a small quantity, (one part in 244,) of uncombined soda dis- 

 solved in it, and a small quantity of neutral salts, consisting of soda combined 

 with the phosphoric, sulphuric and muriatic acids. In addition to these is a 

 very small quantity of phosphate of lime and of oxide of iron, and some 

 yellow insoluble matter. 



The bile in the Gall- Bladder is generally more viscid than that which is found 

 in the Hepatic Duct. 



Of the Pancreas. 



The pancreas is a glandular body, which has a strong resem- 

 blance to the salivary glands in several particulars. It is seven 

 inches in length, and is irregularly oblong in its form, one ex- 

 tremity being much longer than the other. Its large extremity 

 is in contact with the duodenum, and it extends from this in- 

 testine in a transverse direction to the spleen, to which it is 

 connected by the omentum and by blood-vessels. It is not 

 invested by the peritoneum, but is situated in the space which 

 exists between the two lamina of the mesocolon, as they 

 proceed from the back of the abdomen, before they come in 

 contact with each other. It is anterior to the aorta and vena 

 cava, and to the mesenteric vein, or main branch of the vena 

 portarum ; being connected to these parts by cellular mem- 

 brane. At the right extremity, which is connected with the 

 duodenum, is a process of the gland that extends downwards 



