248 PHYSIOLOGY OF ALIMENTATION. 



the pancreas changes the preferment found here into alkali- 

 proteinase. This function of the spleen we may no doubt 

 now say does not exist, and may safely attribute the results 

 obtained by the workers on the spleen to accidental bacterial 

 contamination of the extracts with which they worked. We 

 know now that bacteria can also activate the proferment 

 of alkali-proteinase, and presume that they are able to do this 

 because of a "kinase" which they also contain. 



Attention has several times been called to the physiological 

 connection which exists between different portions of the 

 alimentary tract. It may not be amiss to do it once more 

 at this place. The bile and the intestinal juice, which so 

 markedly increase the activities of the ferments found in the 

 pancreatic secretion are poured into the intestine in an ap- 

 parently entirely purposeful manner. ^ BAYLISS and STARLING 

 have found that pancreatic secretiri, which so markedly in- 

 creases the discharge of pancreatic juice, increases also the 

 flow of bile. If a cannula is tied into the bile-duct after 

 previous ligature of the gall-bladder, the intravenous injec- 

 tion of secretin brings about not only a flow of pancreatic 

 juice but also an augmented flow of bile. According to DE- 

 LEZENNE pancreatic secretin increases also a discharge of 

 intestinal juice containing enterokinase from the upper por- 

 tions of the small intestine. Through such means the com- 

 bined action of pancreatic juice, intestinal juice, and bile 

 upon the food as it escapes from the stomach is secured; 

 in other words, the conditions are established which experi- 

 ment has shown to be the most favorable for the rapid 

 digestion (and absorption) of the various foodstuffs. 



