THE VALUE OF PEPSIN. 377 



pleted, and the fluid will be in a state favourable for 

 absorption, the weakened digestive power of the 

 stomach not being taxed in any way whatever. The 

 solvent action of the pepsin is much increased by the 

 addition of from ten to twenty drops of dilute hydro- 

 chloric acid. The casein, which in the case of milk 

 may remain undissolved, may be strained off with some 

 of the oily matter. Phosphoric acid or lactic acid may 

 be also employed ; but these act less powerfully. 



For many years past I have been in the habit of 

 adding pepsin and hydrochloric acid to the beef-tea 

 that is given in very bad cases of fever, and I am sure 

 with the greatest advantage. The stomach is relieved, 

 and a comparatively large amount of nutrient matter 

 digested and absorbed within a given time. By this 

 plan the tympanitic state of abdomen, which is some- 

 times so distressing, is relieved in the course of a few 

 hours, and its recurrence prevented during the illness. 



The pepsin used for this purpose, and generally 

 employed by me in medicine, is prepared according to 

 the plan I devised more than fifteen years ago ; and 

 as the process is but little known, although simple, 

 it will, I think, be practically useful to give an account 

 of it in this place. 



On the Preparation of Pure Digestive Powder or 

 Pepsin from the Pigs Stomach. Various chemi- 

 cal processes more or less complicated have been 

 employed in the preparation of pepsin. Partly in 

 consequence of these being tedious and difficult of 



