460 DRUGS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN 



Action and Uses. — Pancreatin fulfils a fourfold function by virtue 

 of the four ferments contained in it. It digests proteids by means of 

 ■ the ferments, trypsin and myopsin; it decomposes and emulsifies fat 

 owing to the ferment, steapsin; it converts starch into sugar by reason of 

 the ferment, amylopsin; it coagulates milk through the action of a milh- 

 curdling ferment. Pancreatin is thus more useful than pepsin on account 

 of its more extended actions. 



It does not digest food in an acid medium, but may aid digestion 

 in the stomach, before much gastric juice has been secreted, during the 

 first half hour after the ingestion of food. Pancreatin acts more efficient- 

 ly in intestinal indigestion because of the presence of an alkaline secre- 

 tion. For this reason pancreatin is commonly prescribed with sodium 

 bicarbonate, and, if given for intestinal indigestion, it is administered in 

 pill or tablet to dogs one or two hours after feeding. It is indicated in 

 diarrhea, when the fecal movements contain particles of undigested food 

 (especially fat), and in other forms of deficient digestion due to general 

 disease. Pancreatin is more especially valuable to digest food previous 

 to its administration by the mouth or rectum (see Artificial Feeding, p. 

 490). For this purpose a good preparation can be made extemporaneous- 

 by washing and cutting up a fresh pig's pancreas, soaking it in absolute 

 alcohol for 24 hours, pressing out the alcohol, macerating it in ten times 

 its weight of glycerin for 48 hours, and filtering. The filtered glycerin 

 extract is added in the proportion of 3i to the pint of warm milk, with a 

 little sodium bicarbonate, to artificially digest it. 



Fel Bovis. Oxgall. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Bile (flel) de boeuf, Fr. ; ochsengalle, G. 



The fresh bile of the ox, Bos taurus Linng (Fam. Bovidse). 



Properties. — A brownish-green or dark green, somewhat viscid liquid, having 

 a characteristic odor, and a disagreeable, bitter taste. Spec. gr. 1.015 to 1.025. 

 It is neutral, or faintly alkaline. 



PREPAKATIOlir. 



Extractmn FelUs Bovis. Powdered Extract of Ox Gall. (U. S. P.) 



Synonym. — Fel bovinum purificatum, B. P.; fiel de boeuf purifig. Fr.; gerei- 

 nigte ochsengalle (rindsgalle), G. 



Macerate ox gall, 800; with alcohol, 1000, and decant) liquid portion. Wash 

 remainder with alcohol, 600. Decant liquid portion and add to first, and filter 

 mixture. Distill alcohol from filtrate; evaporate and dry residue. Add starch 

 to make product weigh 100 Gm. 



Dose. — Same as for oxgall. 



Dose. — ^D., gr.v-xv, (.3-1). 



Actions and Uses. — Purified oxgall contains all the active elements 

 of bile, — biliary acids, coloring matter and cholesterin. One part of ox- 

 gall represents about fifteen parts of bile. Most of the bile ingested is 

 absorbed from the stomach (where it may act as a simple bitter), and 

 small intestines, and is carried to the liver. From the liver it is not only 

 excreted again into the bowel but it also stimulates the secreting cells of 

 the liver (by means of bile acids) and increases the secretion of bile. 

 Bile is in fact the only certain cholagogue known. 



Bile has but a feeble antiseptic action, yet it excites the secretion 

 of the pancreatic fat-splitting ferment and aids the absorption of fat in 

 the food. In thus aiding digestion it prevents the fetid feces seen in 



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