Claude Bernard and pancreatic function revisited after 150 years.

In 1848, Claude Bernard described the lipolytic function of the pancreas. His experimental procedure was original and as he always affirmed, easily replicable. In this study we repeated the original Bernardian experiments for emulsification and saponification of fats, following the original descriptions from his laboratory manuscripts. The results were astonishingly similar to those obtained by Bernard, confirming the validity of his experiments and conclusions, as well as emphasising again his original concepts on the importance of experimental repeatability in scientific medicine. Considering the surgical difficulties we encountered, we must conclude that Claude Bernard required great manual dexterity to obtain these results without the benefit of modern technology and anaesthesia.