Anatomy, physiology, pathology, dictionary / edited by W.A. Evans, Adolph Gehrmann, William Healy.

Date:
1906
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Anatomy, physiology, pathology, dictionary / edited by W.A. Evans, Adolph Gehrmann, William Healy. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    62/268
    of the ‘neutral fats’ to the ‘fatty acids/ which are normally present in about equal proportions, is frequently disturbed, especially in well-marked cases of inflammation of the pancreas, the neutral fats being in excess. The average proportion in my cases has been 32 per cent, of ‘neutral fat’ to 18 per cent, of ‘fatty acid.’ In cases of biliary obstruction, not associated with pancreatic disease, al- though the percentage of ‘total fat’ is often in excess of the normal, and the relation of the ‘neutral fats’ to the ‘fatty acids’ is disturbed, the tendency being for the latter to preponderate. The average amounts in the cases I have investigated have been 49 per cent, for the ‘total fats,’ 18 per cent, for the ‘neutral fats,’ and 23 per cent, for the fatty acids. Taken alone, an analysis of the feces cannot be considered a reliable indication of the condition of the pancreas; but as confirmatory evidence of the results of an examination of the urine, it is of considerable value, especially in suspended cases of malignant disease. “My experience on the pathological side and that of Mr. Mayo Robson on the clinical have shown that the probabilities of an erroneous opinion being formed regard- ing a case of suspected pancreatic disease are very appre- ciably diminished if the results of an examination of the urine and feces according to the methods I have described are considered in conjunction with the clinical evidence. It is yet too early to claim that they are pathognomonic, but it can be safely said that they are a most useful aid to diagnosis.” [These methods do not bear inherent evidence of scientific accuracy. They embrace many steps and the end result is capable of so much personal variation of inter- pretation, each step is so empirical, that it is difficult to understand how satisfactory results could be given. Other writers have not been able to verify the value of the methods. However, so little is known of the symptom- atology of the pancreas that we must grope in the dark largely and much of rather blind reaching out is justified. —Ed.'] Modification of the Guaiac Test for Blood. Wile1 sug- gests the following modification of the guiac test for blood. (1) N. Y. Med. Jour, and Phil. Med. Jour., Oct. 7, 1905.