0)1 the BreaHng-up of Fat in the Alimentary Canal. 249 



tinct Kuhne-lluffini " spindles " from a muscle does not exclude the 

 possession by it of sensorial end-organs, and of afferent nerve-fibres. 

 This point is not without importance, because examination of various 

 muscles has led me to the conclusion that the " spindle-organs " are 

 absent from the following muscles : — From all the orbital eye-muscles, 

 from the intrinsic muscles of the larynx (though Pacinian corpuscles 

 occur in these as in various other muscles), from the intrinsic muscles 

 of the tongue, and from the diaphragm. It is notable that all these 

 muscles belong to that set which are innervated by nerve-fibres of 

 rather smaller calibre (Graskell) than those supplying the skeletal 

 muscles generally, that is to say, are innervated by the noo-gang- 

 lionated splanchnic efferent nerves of Graskell. 



u On the Breaking-up of Fat in the Alimentary Canal under 

 Normal Circumstances and in the Absence of the 

 Pancreas." By Vaughan Harley, M.D., M.R.C.P., Pro- 

 fessor of Pathological Chemistry, University College, 

 London. Communicated by Professor Horsley, F.R.S. 

 Received March 18, — Read April 8, 1897. 



(From the Department of Pathological Chemistry, University College, London.) 



In a previous paper* I discussed the simple absorption of milk fat 

 from the alimentary canal of dogs, and compared the results with a 

 series of dogs in which the pancreas had been previously removed. 

 Fasting dogs fed on milk absorbed no less than 21 to 46 per cent, of 

 the total fat given in seven hours, while in those where the pancreas 

 had been entirely removed some two days previously, there was, 

 during that space of time, no evidence of any absorption whatever 

 from the alimentary canal. 



The fact that no marked absorption of fat occurred in dogs after 

 the extirpation of the pancreas seems to confirm the old view that 

 the pancreatic secretion was necessary for absorption. 



This alleged action of pancreatic juice in preparing- fat for its 

 absorption from the alimentary canal, is usually supposed to be due 

 to the secretion containing, firstly, a fat-splittiug ferment, which, by 

 breaking up part of the neutral fat into free fat acids and glycerine, 

 leads to the first stage of emulsification ; and, secondly, alkaline 

 sodium carbonate, which combines with some of the freed fat acids 

 to form a soap, thus rendering the emulsification of the fat a simple 

 matter — as can easily be demonstrated in a test-tube — and at once 

 facilitates its absorption through the intestinal walls. 



* ' Journal of Physiology,' 1895, vol. 18, p. 1. 

 VOL. LXI. T 



