340 DIGESTIVE ACTION OF THE PANCREATIC JUICE. 



organic substances, and 0*8 p.c. of ash. The juice (dog) analysed by 

 Carl Schmidt contained in 1000 parts: 



[ Organic, . . 81'84 

 Solids, 90*38 in \ Inorganic, . . 8 '54 



1,000 parts, . (like those of 



blood-serum). 



Common Salt, . . . 7 '36 



Sodic Phosphate, . . 0'45 



,, Sulphate, . . O'lO 



Soda, 0-32 



Lime, 0'22 



Magnesia, . . . . 0'05 



Potassic Sulphate, . 0'02 



Ferric Oxide, . . . 0'02 



The more rapid and more profuse the secretion, the poorer it is in 

 organic substances (Weinmann, Bernstein), while the inorganic remain 

 almost the same ; nevertheless, the total quantity of solids is greater 

 than when the quantity secreted is small (Bernstein). Traces of 

 leucin (Radziejewski) and soaps are contained in the fresh juice. [It 

 usually contains few or no structural elements. Any structural 

 elements present in the fresh juice, as well as its proteids, are digested 

 by the peptone-forming ferment of the juice, especially if the juice be 

 kept for some time. If the fresh juice is allowed to stand for some 

 time and then mixed with chlorine water, a red colour is obtained.] 



Concretions are rarely formed in the pancreatic ducts ; they usually consist of 

 calcic carbonate. Dextrose has been found in the juice in diabetes, and urea in 

 jaundice. 



The statement made by Schiff that the pancreas secretes only after the absorp- 

 tion of dextrin has not been confirmed. The secretory activity of the pancreas is 

 not dependent on the presence of the spleen. 



170. Digestive Action of the Pancreatic Juice. 



The presence of at least four hydrolytic ferments or enzymes makes 

 the pancreatic juice one of the most important digestive fluids in the 

 body. 



I. The Diastatic Action (Valentin, 1844) is caused by a diastatic 

 ferment, amylopsin, a substance which seems to be identical with the 

 saliva ferment; but it acts much more energetically than the ptyalin 

 of saliva, on raw starch as well as upon boiled starch; at the tempera- 

 ture of the body the change is effected almost at once, while it takes 

 place more slowly at a low temperature. Glycogen is changed into 

 dextrin and grape-sugar, and achroodextrin (Briicke's) into sugar. 

 Even cellulose is said to be dissolved (Schmulewitsch), and gum 

 changed into sugar by it (v. Voit). 



According to v. Mering and Musculus, the starch (as in the case of the saliva 

 p. 294) is changed into maltose, a reducing-dextrin and grape-sugar; so also is 

 glycogen. 



Amylopsin changes achroodextrin into maltose; at 40C. maltose is slowly 



