8o 



According to these experiments, therefore, practically all 

 of the nitrogenous materials (protein) of both the fish (had- 

 dock) and the lean beef was digested by the dog, and all but 

 one-half or three-fourths of one per cent, by the man. While 

 more experiments are needed, the agreement of these results 

 with what would be expected from the nature of the nitrogen 

 compounds and what is known of the laws of digestion and 

 absorption, leaves little ground to doubt that very nearly all, 

 indeed we may say, practically all, of the protein of both 

 will be digested by a healthy organism under normal con- 

 ditions. 



The conclusion that the flesh of the common kinds of fish 

 agrees very closely in digestibility with that of the common 

 kinds of meat, at least so far as the protein (the chief con- 

 stituent of the " lean " of meat and fish) is concerned, seems 

 equally well grounded. It would seem, however, from other 

 considerations and especially from actual experiments with 

 meats, in which the fat is imperfectly digested, that fish, 

 having generally less fat than meat, is, on the average, more 

 easily and completely digested. Perhaps it will be interesting 

 to note how different food materials compare in digestibility 

 as shown by experiments such as those just described. 



Digestibility of Nutrients of Food-materials. 



In the Food 

 Materials Below. 



Meat and fish 



Eggs 



Milk 



Wheat bread 



Corn (maize) Meal. 



Rice 



Pease 



Potatoes 



Beets 



Of the Total Amounts of Protein, Fats and Carbohydrates, 

 THE Following Percentages were Digested : 



Practically all. 



41 to 100 per cent. 

 81 to 100 



79 to 92 per cent. 



96 " 

 93 to 98 " 



Carbohydrates. 



99 per cent. 

 97 



99 



96 •' 



92 



82 



