DIETARY LESIONS OF THE PANCREAS

A. OBSERVATIONS ON MAN  IN THE course of observations on infants fed diets lacking animal protein, it was found that the first clinical sign of the deficiency syndrome characterized by fatty liver and edema was a decrease and then more or less complete cessation of the pancreatic excretory function. The pancreatic failure took some time, about seven to fourteen days, to appear after the deficient feeding had begun, but it was noted that the younger the subject the earlier the symptoms started. The condition proved to be reversible if sufficient amounts of milk could be given before a final stage was reached.¹Owing to difficulties imposed by postwar conditions, only a few autopsies could be performed. According to these, the macroscopic appearance of the pancreas was, apart from terminal congestion, normal. Histologic examination revealed in several infants that the acinar cells became small, atrophic and angular and separated from