Ferment actions of the pancreas in different animals / by Vincent D. Harris and William J. Gow.

  • Harris, Vincent Dormer, 1851-1931.
Date:
1892
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Ferment actions of the pancreas in different animals / by Vincent D. Harris and William J. Gow. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    [^From the Journal of Physiology. Vol. XIII. No. 6, 1892,] FERMENT ACTIONS OF THE' PANCREAS IN DIF- FERENT ANIMALS. By VINCENT D. HARRIS, M.D., F.R.C.P., AND WILLIAM J. GOW, M.D., M.R.C.P. {From the Laboratories of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons.) In the research of which the present paper is a report, the authors desired to obtain information upon the following points, viz.:— (1) Whether the ferments with the possession of which the pancreas is usually credited are present in the pancreases of animals of different classes, and if so whether there is any marked difference to be discovered in the activity (or amount) of each ferment in each class; (2) Whether the activity or amount of the ferments bears any constant relation to the food of the animal; (3) Whether the ferments of the human pancreas are markedly affected in activity or amount in morbid conditions of the body; and (4) Whether in addition to the generally accepted pancreatic ferments the gland possesses any additional ferment action (a) in inverting cane sugar, or (b) in producing any chemical action upon dry or unboiled starch. In carrying out the experiments connected with these problems we have employed material obtained from the ordinary laboratory animals, e.g. cats, dogs and the like; human pancreases obtained from the post- mortem room, and also, by the kindness of Mr Frank Beddard, F.R.S., the pancreases of many different animals dying in the Zoological Society’s Gardens, Regent’s Park. We would take the present opportunity of offering our cordial thanks to Mr Beddard for his courtesy in the matter. Our knowledge of the functions of the pancreas dates from the investigations of Claude Bernard, which were carried out from the year 1846 to 1855. Up to this time the pancreas had always been considered to be identical in structure and function with the salivary 31 PH. XIII.