174 A Manual of Veterinary Physiology. 



ing its maximum in ruminants towards the end of rumina- 

 tion, when the secretion may attain the rate of 7 ozs. to 

 !).', ozs. per hour: in the horse the hourly secretion was 

 found to be about the same : and in the sheep about \ oz. 

 per hour. 



There is no ratio between the size of the animal, the 

 weight of the gland, and the amount of pancreatic fluid 

 secreted : for example, carnivora secrete more than her- 

 bivora. 



The pressure under which the pancreatic juice is secreted 

 is low ; it is said to be equal to "67 inch of mercury, 

 which is very little greater than that of the bile. 



Nervous Mechanism.— Of this nothing is known : the 

 gland is supplied by the vagus and sympathetic. It is 

 probable that a mechanism exists, allied to that found in 

 the salivary glands, but of this nothing is definitely known. 

 The head centre for the pancreas lies in the medulla. The 

 action of pilocarpine and atropine on the secretion is the 

 same as in the salivary glands ; the former increases the 

 flow, the latter stops it entirely. 



