CHAPTER VII 



THE PANCREAS AND THE LIVER 



Along the lower part of the stomach, and con- 

 nected with the spleen, is a gland shaped like a 

 dog's tongue, weighing about three and a half 

 ounces, and having a length of about eight inches. 

 This gland, the "pancreas" from the Greek "all 

 flesh" is popularly known as "sweetbread." 



The pancreas. The pancreas is the most impor- 

 tant organ of digestion. Its glands secrete sub- 

 stances (enzymes) which, by means of a duct, find 

 their way into the small intestine, and there attack 

 the food coming from the stomach, breaking the 

 food particles up into such simple chemical sub- 

 stances as to make them fit for absorption by the 

 blood and lymph. 



It was not known definitely at least until 

 1889 that this organ had any other function than 

 that of taking part in the digestive process. Until 

 then the pancreas was regarded as a gland produc- 

 ing an external secretion only that is, a secretion 

 which, once manufactured, is sent by means of a 

 tube to the surface, and, in this particular case, 



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