The Liver and Pancreas. 109 



supply of sugar to the system, storing up as glycogen 

 what is not required ; it guards the systemic circulation 

 against the introduction of certain nitrogenous poisons, such 

 as ammonia, by converting them into urea and uric acid, 

 and against other poisons of proteid origin by converting 

 them into harmless products, by conjugation with alkaline 

 sulphates (Bunge). 



Pancreas. 



The fluid secreted by the pancreas performs certain im- 

 portant functions in digestion. It is remarked by Bunge 

 that there is scarcely any animal which does not possess a 

 secretion allied to the pancreas ; even those invertebrates 

 without a peptic or biliary apparatus are in possession of 

 one. 



From the resemblance of the pancreas to the salivary 

 glands, it has been termed the abdominal salivary gland. The 

 pancreatic fluid from the herbivora can only be obtained 

 with extreme difficulty ; to establish a pancreatic fistula 

 in the horse is a formidable operation, necessitating an 

 incision from the sternum to the pubis and the turning back 

 of the bowels. Colin has established these fistulse both in 

 the horse and ox ; but the profound impression on the 

 nervous system produced by such extensive interference, 

 must considerably affect the character of the secretion and 

 the amount manufactured. 



Pancreatic fluid is alkaline, clear, colourless like water, 

 and though viscid in some animals is not so in the horse. 

 It has a saltish unpleasant taste, and a specific gravity of, 

 about 1010; the viscid secretion of the dog has a specific 

 gravity of 1030. 



The following analysis of the fluid in the horse is given 

 by Hoppe-Seyler :* 



Water-* - 082-53 



Solids - - 17-47 



Organic matter 8 - 88 containing 8 - 6 of ferments. 



Salts - - 8-59 „ much sodium phosphate. 



* Quoted by Halliburton. 



