432 SPECIAL ACTION OF THE PANCREAS ON FAT AND STARCH. 
to the mode of action of the pancreas upon fats—a point which has been the subject of 
investigation by various physiologists ever since the discovery of the influence of the 
pancreatic fluid on the absorption of fat by Claude Bernard, nearly twenty years ago. 
In the chemical parts of my experiments I owe much to the efficient aid of my friend 
Mr. Julius Schweitzer, and to the energy and perseverance with which he carried out my 
suggestions under many difficulties. 
The objects of my investigations have been as follows:— 
1. To discover the exact character and nature of the influence exerted by the pancreas 
upon fats. 
2. To discover a means of obtaining and preserving the active principles of the pan¬ 
creas in a form suitable for experiment in the laboratory, and for administration as a 
remedial agent. 
3. To discover the effects of the administration of the active principles of the pancreas 
as a remedial agent in certain wastiug diseases, and to test, by an experimentum crucis, 
the truth of a conclusion on this subject, at which I had previously arrived by a process 
of inductive research. 
I shall not occupy the valuable time of the Society by narrating the many more or less 
unsuccessful experiments, but restrict myself to a concise record of those attended with 
success. 
Experiments were made with the pancreas of several different animals, but that of the 
pig was selected for the experiments of which I am about to give the results, as being 
nearest in the character of its functions to that of the human subject. 
In order to ascertain the normal reaction of the pancreatic juice, and whether this is 
altered by the length of time that has elapsed since the last meal, the following experi¬ 
ment was made with the assistance of Mr. Schweitzer and of Mr. Harris, of Caine, who 
kindly placed his extensive pig-killing establishment at our service for the purpose. 
On March 22, 18G6, forty pigs were killed, and the pancreas of each examined imme¬ 
diately after death; the killing and examination were so rapidly conducted, that the 
pancreas was in each case examined while warm from the body; and the killing and 
examination of the forty pigs in succession occupied less than an hour. 
The pigs were killed ten at a time. The first ten had been fed two hours before they 
were killed, the second ten five hours, the third ten nine hours, and the fourth ten had 
not been fed for two days. 
The pancreas in each group presented the same characters in size, colour, and reaction. 
Each pancreas was cut through so as to lay open the principal duct, but in no case was 
there any fluid in the duct. Litmus-paper was applied to the interior of the duct and 
to the divided gland-cells, and on being pressed sufficiently against the tissues to absorb 
moistere, the paper was in each case reddened where it was moistened. This acid re¬ 
action was not found in the fat and muscles of the animal. 
At my request, Dr. Collins, of Albert Terrace, Kegent’s Park, examined the reaction 
of the pancreas in a series of cases at the moment when all the digestive organs were 
under active excitement. He gave the pigs a good and relishing meal, and while they 
were eating it, divided the spinal marrow in the neck, so as to destroy sensation in the 
body. The pigs were then immediately cut open, the pancreas removed, and its reaction 
examined. On August 3rd he wrote me, “ As you requested, I have tried a series of 
experiments upon the pancreas, parotid, and sublingual glands. The two latter have a 
decidedly acid reaction, but the pancreas I am not quite so certain about; in one batch 
of pigs killed in Buckinghamshire it was alkaline, but in another lot in Hertfordshire it 
was acid.” 
The reaction of the pancreas is always acid w r ben it reaches the laboratory for experi¬ 
ment as quickly as possible after removal from the animal. This we have proved in 
many hundreds of instances. 
To discover the influence of the pancreas upon fat, the fresh pancreas of the pig, freed 
from all adhering blood and other extraneous matters, was cut into small pieces, bruised, 
and mixed with lard ; and to this mixture water was gradually added. In the bruised 
condition the pancreas had an acid reaction. By stirring this mixture of pancreas, lard, 
and water, the fatty character disappeared, a thick, white, creamy fluid being formed, 
which, on standing, solidified into a firm pasty mass. This mass had also an acid re¬ 
action. In order to free it from the debris of pancreas, it was pressed through muslin, 
and a uniform smooth creamy emulsion remained. This emulsion rapidly putrefied, but 
remained a permanent emulsion until putrefaction set in. 
