AMYLASE IN THE BLOOD IN SUBACUTE AND IN CHRONIC PANCREATIC DISEASES

Abstract

Since 1833, when Payen and Persoz¹ precipitated a starch-splitting substance from malt and gave it the name of diastase, the so-called diastatic activity of blood and of the various excreta from man and animals has been widely studied in health and in disease. The diastatic activity of the blood was observed first by Magendie² who showed that the blood was capable of splitting starch into sugars. In general, not much advancement was made, in spite of the methods offered from time to time, until Wohlgemuth³ described a quantitative method for determinations of amylase in 1908. Following Wohlgemuth's work, various quantitative methods were described which depended on the ability of amylase to effect a given change in a known solution of starch. Results obtained by these methods led such authorities as Van Slyke and Cullen⁴ to think that, in general, enzymes obey the law of mass action and that apparent divergences