
The pancreas does play a significant role in digestion even though food never enters the organ. The pancreatic duct transports the pancreatic fluid it produces to the duodenum. Once in the digestive system, the fluid's enzymes aid in the breakdown of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. It performs the role of an exocrine gland by releasing a substance into the body's ducts. It also serves as an endocrine gland, secreting two hormones into the bloodstream to help regulate blood sugar levels. Glucagon is released when you don't have enough sugar, and insulin is released when you do.
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Doctors frequently misdiagnosed sick patients, which was common in 17th century England. Alice Blunden is one such example. After she drank sedatives, a doctor mistakenly declared her dead, and she was buried alive. This terrifying ordeal occurred not once, but twice. After exhuming her and discovering she was near death, they buried her again, only for her to struggle in the casket, still alive, until she died.