On the Examination of the Human Pancreas. 153 



filled by the injection ; for in them the general and relative 

 arrangement can be more distinctly seen than in those lobules 

 which are completely distended, as in the latter case, owing 

 to the amount of injection in them, a degree of opacity is pro- 

 duced which renders the outline of many of the follicles some- 

 what indistinct. Most of the sections which I have examined 

 have been made with a Valentin's knife, and the preparations 

 have been soaked for a short time in glycerine, which facili- 

 tates the investigation of the pancreas, as of many other animal 

 textures, by increasing the transparency. 



The large excretory duct of the pancreas extends along the 

 centre of the gland from head to tail, and is enclosed on all 

 sides by the large lobules. From it, at frequent intervals, 

 smaller ducts proceed, which pass into these large lobules, 

 and in them divide and subdivide into fine branches, for the 

 ultimate lobules. Of these fine branches some arise at right 

 angles, others at a more or less acute angle, and after a very 

 short course they become connected with the ultimate gland 

 follicles of the lobule to which they belong. Each duct, as a 

 general rule, preserves the same calibre from the point at 

 which it commences, to that at which it either gives off a 

 branch, or terminates in an ultimate lobule. In some instances 

 the ducts possess dilatations on their walls, which may either 

 be confined to one side, or may exist at corresponding points 

 on both sides. The same mode- of termination of the fine 

 ducts in the ultimate lobules does not appear to exist in all 

 cases, but admits of slight differences. In some instances the 

 duct passes to the base of the lobule, and then from it, as 

 from a centre, the saccular dilatations of the ultimate follicles 

 spring. In others the duct runs for a short distance along 

 the base of the lobule, giving origin in its course to the fol- 

 licles, which are connected to its sides and extremity. In 

 either case the fine membrane forming the wall of the duct is 

 continuous with the membrane constituting the wall of the 

 follicles, so that the cavities of the follicles are continuous 

 with that of the duct. The number of follicles present in an 

 ultimate lobule varies considerably in different specimens. 

 There are also great differences in their shape and size. 

 Some are spheroidal, others laterally elongated, so as to pre- 



