THE BILE. 141 



alkaline reaction. This is largely due to the presence of consider- 

 able amounts of sodium carbonate, and we accordingly find that on 

 the addition of an acid effervescence of carbon dioxide occurs. Its 

 specific gravity in the dog is fairly constant, and corresponds to 

 about 1.010-1.011. 



The amount of solids is largely dependent upon the character and 

 the quantity of the food ingested, and in the dog may vary between 

 12.2 and 24.1 pro mille. These variations are mainly referable to 

 the presence of albumins, which are always found in the enteric 

 juice, while the inorganic constituents are fairly constant. A 

 general idea of the chemical composition of the secretion may be 

 formed from the accompanying analyses : 



Dog Horse 



(Thiry). (Colin). 



Water 97.59 per cent. 98.10 per cent. 



Solids 2.41 " 



Albumins ^ . . 0.80 " 



Other organic matter (mucin) . 0.73 " 



Mineral ash 0.88 " 



Sodium carbonate .... 0.40 " 



Sodium chloride 0.48 ' 



1.90 

 0.45 

 1.45 



Of the amount of enteric juice which is secreted under normal 

 conditions in twenty-four hours we know nothing. In disease, how- 

 ever, and notably in Asiatic cholera exceedingly large quantities 

 may be observed ; but it is probable that in such cases we are deal- 

 ing with a direct transudation from the blood, and not with an 

 actual secretory product of the cells. On section of the correspond- 

 ing nerves hypersecretion can be artificially brought about. This 

 may be compared to the paralytic saliva which is obtained from 

 the sublingual gland on section of the chorda and of the sympathetic 

 fibres that supply the gland. 



The question whether or not the enteric juice plays a part in the 

 process of digestion is still undecided. This uncertainty is largely 

 owing to the fact that innumerable bacteria are always present in 

 the enteric secretion, and that some of these possess the power of 

 inverting starch and of digesting albumins. Schiif, on the other 

 hand, claims that these digestive phenomena are directly referable 

 to the action of ferments, which are secreted by the glands of 

 Lieberkuhn. However this may be, it appears certain that the 

 enteric juice contains ferments which are capable of inverting 

 saccharose and maltose, and that these ferments are furnished by the 

 glands in question. 



Like the pancreatic juice, the enteric secretion is capable of emul- 

 sifying fats, but it is doubtful whether it can also bring about their 

 saponification. 



THE BILE. 



Formerly it was generally supposed that the bile played an im- 

 portant part in the process of digestion, and was further capable of 



