54 DIGESTION. 



Water . . 90 



Organic matter : 



Ferments, 



Serum albumin, 



Alkali albumin, 



Fats, soaps, etc., 

 Inorganic salts (chiefly sodium carbonate) ... 1 



100 

 What are the pancreatic ferments? 



(1) Trypsin, a peptone-forming (proteolytic) ferment, which 

 continues the digestion of proteids begun in the stomach. It 

 forms a peptone which resembles the stomach peptone in its 

 reactions. This ferment, unlike pepsin, only acts in an alkaline 

 medium. It acts less vigorously upon gelatins and other nitrog- 

 enous bodies. 



(2) Amylopsin, a starch-changing (amylolytic) ferment, by 

 which starch is converted to maltose, and finally glucose, as by 

 the ptyalin in the saliva. 



(3) (unnamed), a rennet or milk-curdling ferment. This 



ferment will act in the presence of an acid. 



(4) Strypsin (?), a questionable ferment by which fats are 

 broken up from the large globules and emulsified or saponified 

 in alkaline media. It is claimed by some that this is not a fer- 

 ment action, but is the result of the action of the alkaline intes- 

 tinal contents upon the fat. 



Of these processes the emulsification, or breaking the fat-glob- 

 ules into minute particles, is by far the more important, as it 

 allows this form of food to be absorbed from the gut. Milk is 

 an excellent example of a natural emulsion. 



Saponification (or soap-making) results from the fatty acid 

 combining with an alkali, forming the corresponding salt and 

 glycerin e. g. : 



Stearin + Potassium Hydrate = Potassium Stearate + Glycerin. 



(C 18 H 35 0) 3 ) Q 3 H I 3 /C 18 H 35 1 Q \ C 3 H 5 



c 3 H 5 } -f 3 K } c 3 IK } J " H 3 



What is the function of the pancreatic juice ? 



It is most active in the digestion, and is peculiar in having an 

 effect upon all forms of food which require preparation for absorp- 

 tion upon proteids, starches, and fats, as well as upon milk. 



