Soluble ferments Digestion. 227 



of the small intestine, called the duodenum. Opening into the duo- 

 denum, not far from its middle, are two ducts, one from the liver and 

 the other from the pancreas. When the chyme from the stomach is 

 poured into the duodenum it is met by a fluid from each of these ducts. 

 That from the liver is called the bile and the alkali contained in it neu- 

 tralizes the acid of the chyme and permits the resumption of the fer- 

 mentation of the starch and sugars, which, on account of acidity, is 

 suspended in the stomach. The fluid from the pancreas contains, it is 

 supposed, three several ferments. One of these has the property of 

 ptyalin, of splitting up starch into glucoses, one has the quality of gas- 

 tric juice, of disintegrating the albuminoids, and the third is an emulsive 

 ferment, able to dissolve the fatty bodies, a process called saponifi cation. 



The action of the Emulsive ferment causes the mechanical division of 

 the fats of the food, separating them into innumerable globules fit for 

 absorption into the tissues. Milk is naturally in this state of prepared- 

 ness for absorption, and it is believed by some to possess this same 

 emulsive ferment by which this state is constantly brought about. 



The process of emulsion in the duodenum is instantaneous. The ac- 

 tion of the three pancreatic ferments upon the three general classes of 

 food products converts them into a milky substance, in which are sus- 

 pended a vast number of fatty particles. It is called chyle, and as it is 

 crowded along the intestines it receives further contributions from little 

 glands situated within the mucous membrane of the intestines. The 

 secretion from these glands is called intestinal juice, and its functions 

 are supposed to be similar to those of the pancreatic juice. 



There are three sorts of glands in the small intestines. One set, 

 called Lieberkiihns, glands, consist of ' ' fine capillary blind sacs, the 

 openings of which are from -^ to -^ part of an inch in diameter, so 

 closely packed over the whole of the small intestine as to give the mu- 

 cous membrane a general sieve-like or perforated appearance. " ( Med. 

 Die.) These glands secrete the intestinal juice. Another set, called 

 the solitary glands or follicles, are situated between the mucous and 

 muscular coats of the intestine. They are also sometimes called Brun- 

 ner's glands, though the latter name is usually confined to similar ones 

 situated in the stomach and duodenum. Their business is said to be 

 the secretion of mucus. The third set are found mostly in the lower 

 part of the small intestine the ileum. They are called Peyers glands. 

 As they are clustered together like a honeycomb they are sometimes de- 

 nominated " patches. " They are small cells or bags lying under the mu- 

 cous or villous coat of the intestine, and are without ducts, their secretions, 

 whatever they are, passing through the pores of the membrane. Their 

 functions are not well known. These "patches" and the solitar} 7 follicles 

 become involved in typhoid fever, undergoing ulceration in that disease. 



