1880.] Hydrolytic Ferments of Pancreas and Small Intestine. 397 



into dextrose, a property which is not shared by malt- diastase. Both 

 malt-diastase and pancreatic- diastase have, however, the property of 

 hydrolysing the lowest achroodextrin of the series, a fact which we 

 have proved by submitting to their action the isolated and purified 

 achroodextrin g\ 



A series of experiments was now made with the object of ascer- 

 taining if the pancreas contains any ferment capable of inverting 

 cane-sugar. It will be remembered that a cold aqueous infusion of 

 malt possesses this property to a limited extent. The first experi- 

 ments were made by digesting solutions of cane-sugar at 40° C, with 

 25 per cent, of an aqueous extract of pancreas (5 of water to 1 of 

 pancreas). As long as the solutions remained free from bacteria we 

 never observed even the slightest inversion of the cane-sugar, the 

 specific rotatory power of the solutions remaining constant through- 

 out the experiment. If the digestion was carried on for a length of 

 time sufficient to develop organic life, and a sensible evolution of gas, 

 a marked inversion of the sugar set in, a result which is not however 

 attributable to any soluble ferment derived from the pancreas. 



From some observations made at a later period of the inquiry it 

 seemed possible that the gland-tissue itself might have an effect which 

 was not shared by its aqueous infusion. An experiment was conse- 

 quently made in which the finely divided pancreas itself was digested 

 with the cane-sugar solution. Here again, however, as in the former 

 case, absolutely no inversion took place. 



J. Bechamp, in his experiments upon the action of various tissues 

 upon starch-paste and cane-sugar, states that the pancreas has a very 

 slight invertive action upon cane-sugar ("Les Microzymas," p. 68). 

 In an examination of the details of his experiments, however, it is 

 clear that he only obtained evidence of invertive action after the gland 

 had been in contact with a sugar solution for several days, and in no 

 cases without the previous appearance of bacterial life, to which doubt- 

 less the effects are attributable ; the invertive action of some of these 

 organisms being almost as well marked as that of the Saccharomyces. 



II. The Hydrolytic Action of the Small Intestine. 



Claude Bernard first called attention to any distinct hydrolytic 

 action of the small intestine. He found that a solution of cane-sugar, 

 inclosed within a portion of the intestine ligatured above and below, 

 or placed in contact with an infusion of its mucous membrane, speedily 

 acquired the property of reducing a cupric solution. 



Bernard found this property common to the small intestine of the 

 dog, pig, rabbit, rat, and various other animals, and looked upon the 

 invertive action as one of the most important functions of the succus 

 entericus. 



The observations made from time to time upon the amylolytic action 



