PEPSINUM 449 



with a blunt instrument; the pulp thus obtained is placed on glass or 

 porcelain and dried and finally reduced to a powder. This forms a 

 rather poor quality, owing to the presence of mucus and inert matter. 



(2) The finely chopped mucous coat is macerated in dilute hydro- 

 chloric acid (about 2 per cent.), and to the filtered solution common 

 salt is added; the floating precipitate which results is carefully washed, 

 then dried, and the dried residue mixed with sugar of milk until the 

 strength of the article is such that i grain will dissolve 3000 grains 

 of coagulated albumen, the strength directed by the United States 

 Pharmacopoeia. 



(3) A scale pepsin is made by digesting the mucous lining at the 

 temperature of about iooC. with about 0.2 per cent, of HC1 (or 

 water acidulated with other acids to the same degree of acidity) until 

 the membrane is completely or nearly all dissolved. The solution 

 is neutralized by a suitable alkali and the filtered product, after reduc- 

 tion by evaporation at a low temperature (sometimes in vacua) to a 

 syrupy consistence, is spread on plates of glass and dried in a current 

 of warm air, care being taken not to allow the temperature to exceed 

 4oC. (io4F.). The dried, transparent film is then scraped from 

 the. plates and broken into more or less fine lamellae. 



DESCRIPTION. A yellowish-white amorphous powder or thin, pale yel- 

 owish, somewhat transparent scales, with faint odor and slight saline 

 or acidulous taste, but no. indication of decomposition; should not be 

 hygroscopic. It invariably contains some rennin; its solutions, there- 

 fore, will coagulate milk. Incompatible with alkalies, alcohol, and 

 heat renders it inert. 



ACTION AND USES. Pepsin has a digestive action upon the food taken 

 into the stomach, and is employed as an artificial agent to assist diges- 

 tion when there is functional derangement of the stomach. Dose: 

 10 gr. (0.6 Gm.). 



630. PANCREATINUM. PANCREATIN 



A mixture of enzymes (Amylopsin, Trypsin, Steapsin) existing in the pancreas of 

 warm-blooded animals capable of converting at least twenty-five times its 

 weight of starch into sugars. 



SOURCE. Prepared from the pancreas of the hog or ox, by mixing finely 

 chopped pancreas with half its weight of cold water and straining the 

 liquid by pressure through cheese-cloth or flannel. To the filtrate, 

 alcohol is added (about one volume), and the resulting precipitate 

 collected, purified, and dried. 



DESCRIPTION. Yellowish- white amorphous powder with but slight odor 

 and meat-like taste; slowly soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol. 

 See U.S.P. 



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