190 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



tainecl. As previously stated, pancreatic juice liquidizes all of these elements, 

 while gastric Juice aids in the digestion of the albuminoids. It is easy to get 

 these digestive fluids, either by inserting a silver tube in the living animal, or 

 by macerating the proper organs and extracting the fluids by use of glycerine. 

 The proper conditions for this artificial digestion are the normal heat of the 

 body, 38° C, that the food be finely cut up or comminuted, and that it be 

 thoroughly stirred during the process. There must also be a sufficient 

 quantity of the digestive fluids. Thus, by this simple artificial arrangement, 

 we may learn much that is of real practical value. The temperature most 

 favorable to digestion is the same as the heat of the blood, and is beyond, 

 our control; indeed needs no control if the body is in a healthy condition. 

 We learn an important lesson from the fact that only finely divided food is 

 quickly and thoroughly digested. This work in naturals done by the teeth, 

 and can only be properly performed by sound teeth, and by taking abundant 

 time to eat. The teeth should never be suffered to decay. It is pleasanter 

 and cheaper to pay dentistry bills than to pay a physician for patching up an 

 overworked and disabled stomach. It is also well to remember that even 

 sound teeth can not properly masticate the food only as they are aided by an 

 ample supply of saliva or spittal. Health then, as well as neatness, urges 

 every man, happily I do not need to say woman, to abstain from any habit 

 that will cause the saliva to run constantly to waste. For this reason, the 

 habit of giving a child candy, as you would air, every waking moment, is most 

 pernicious. More, candy is a ready solvent of the teeth, and is too often 

 responsible for the sad havoc which befalls these important organs, early in 

 life. For other reasons candy should be denied. But say you, what was your 

 rule about appetite? I well know how the child craves candy. The system 

 needs sweets. I would see that the child had at each meal time all it wished 

 to eat of the best of sweets, like granulated honey, and thus feed the hungry 

 tissues without robbing my child of its vitality. 



Most of our best farmers are practical physiologists in so much as they grind 

 the grain fed to all such stock as will not properly grind it for themselves. It 

 is more than probable that most of our stock take larger toll in the imperfectly 

 ground grain which is fed to them whole than would be taken by the most 

 greedy and covetous miller. Certainly cattle should never be fed uuground 

 corn or oats. Tlie healthy stomach will attend to the churning process during 

 digestion, and needs no aid. We have only to see that it is kept healthy by 

 the necessary care and attention which may be understood and easily rendered. 

 It was stated that in digestion in a glass tube it is necessary, if we would have 

 the work thoroughly done, that there shall be present plenty of the digestive 

 fluids. The same is equally true in the real digestive cavities. It is found 

 that all of these Juices are poured out Just prior to each meal, in anticipation 

 of the coming event. Heaven's first law is said to be order. If it were man's 

 he would be far more healthy. As I have Just suggested, even the organs 

 awake with expectancy, and, like gocd engineers, light the fires and oil up 

 preparatory for the coming work. The mouth waters, and the stomach, 

 pancreas, and liver keep it company. In truth the entire digestive machinery 

 is set in motion Just before each meal. What a waste then if the grist is not 

 turned on as the digestive wheels begin to turn. Hence we should so plan and 

 execute that our daily meals should be taken with the utmost regularity. 

 Society aims to have it otherwise. Too often it is imperative that we say to 

 ourselves : Choose ye this day whom ye will serve, society or health and long 

 life. I can not too vehemently emphasize the importance of the most punctual 



