THE PANCREAS AS AN ENDOCRIN GLAND 



729 



insufficiency may be caused, becomes a cause of diabetes. The present 

 tendency of many clinicians is to assign to general or focal infections an 



Fig. 9. Large hyaline fibroid islet with hyperchromatic and pyknotic cells at 

 periphery. The fibrosis is essentially a sclerosis of the capillaries of the islet. 



important role in the production of pancreatic injury leading to diabetes, 

 but this is only an assumption based upon general principles. The in- 

 volvement of the pancreas in acute infections localized elsewhere, is very 



Fig. 10. New-formations of lobules in chronic syphilitic pancreatitis with diabetes. 

 These arise directly from the epithelium of the ducts, develop collecting ducts, acinar 

 lumen and centroacinar cells. Young forms of these are usually mistaken for new- 

 formed islets. 



rare, except as a terminal process. There is a possibility that mumps 

 may cause such damage to the pancreas as to lead to diabetes, but proof 



