STKUCTUEE OF THE HORSE. 125 



by the interlobular tissue continuous with Glisson's capsule. 

 The principal function of the liver is to secrete bile. The blood 

 of the portal vein, returned chiefly from the abdominal alimen- 

 tary canal, is charged with bile. The bile is removed by the 

 vital power of the hepatic cells, while the blood is passing 

 through the interlobular capillaries. The blood, thus deprived 

 of bile, passes into the interlobular veins, and so into the sub- 

 lobular and hepatic veins, Avhile the bile gains the bile tubes, 

 and ultimately the hepatic duct, to be poured again into the 

 intestine. Most animals are provided with a gall bladder, in 

 which the bile accumulates during the period of abstinence, and 

 passes into the intestinal canal when digestion commences. The 

 horse has no gall bladder; the bile, as fast as it is formed, flows 

 directly into the small intestines, entering through the biliary 

 duct a few inches below the pyloric orifice. Bile is an alkaline, 

 golden yellow fluid of a bitter taste and specific gravity 1018, 

 and containing about 11 per cent solid matter. It is used in 

 converting starch into sugar, assists in emulsifying and saponi- 

 fying fats, assists in the absorption of fats, increases peristaltic 

 action, and prevents putrefactive changes in the intestines. 



THE PANCREAS. 



The pancreas is an elongated, lobulated gland, which lies 

 across the abdomen, behind the stomach and in front of the 

 kidneys. It is of a reddish, cream color. It belongs to the class 

 of compound racemose glands, and closely resembles salivary 

 glands. Pancreatic juice is a clear, viscid alkaline fiuid resem- 

 bling saliva, but of greater specific gravity, and containing from 

 2 to 5 per cent of solid matter. It changes proteids into pep- 

 tones in alkaline or neutral solutions, afterwards decomposing 

 them into leucine and tryosine. It converts starch into dextrin 

 and sugar, and emulsifies and saponifies fats. 



