The parodox of pancreatitis is that we know much of its etiology but very little about its pathogenesis. A list of associated etiologic factors include biliary tract disease, alcoholism, some disorders of calcium metabolism (especially hyperparathyroidism), hyperlipoproteinemia, specific viral infections, pregnancy, mechanical duodenal obstruction, surgical and external abdominal trauma, and various reactions to drugs (isoniazid, chlorothiazide) among others. All investigators in this area assume in common, however, that the fundamental factor in acute pancreatitis ( and, by inference, in the recurrent and chronic forms) is autodigestion of the gland by its activated enzymes. The recent review by Creutzfeldt and Schmidt