326 Food. 



weighing" now eleven ounces. This was an increase, which, I con- 

 fess, surprised me, and if the call upon the salivary glands, for the 

 fluid which they secrete, be in any thing like the proportion of water 

 which was absorbed by the hay during its maceration, it helps (in 

 some degree at least) to solve the apparent paradox of Horses fattening 

 suddenly upon grass, although they had been previously falling off 

 in the stable, notwithstanding their having been supplied with hay and 

 oats of the best quality. But, suppose, for arguments sake, we say 

 that the quantity of saliva absorbed by dry food is, instead of being 

 nearly three times, only equal to, the weight of the food ; still, will 

 the demand upon the blood, through the medium of the saliva, be to 

 a most astonishing amount. I have already adduced pretty strong, 

 and, I should hope, satisfactory reasons, for supposing that the saliva has 

 little or no concern in the process of digestion, and that its chief use is 

 to furnish sufficient moisture to food that is dry and hard. Now, we 

 know that all the saliva necessary for this purpose, is furnished 

 from the blood, the stock of which must be materially lessened by 

 this demand. 



And though it is impossible to define with any accuracy, the quan- 

 tity of this secretion necessary to moisten any given quantity of dry 

 food, yet, if we admit it equals in weight, that of the food itself, 

 the amount will appear so enormous as to be almost incredible; for, 

 working Horses are known to consume from ten to sixteen pounds of 

 hay daily. And, therefore, if it were only on this account, the plan 

 of preparing the food of anima!-s by coction, when it consists of dry 

 materials, which contain but little nourishment, cannot be too highly 

 recommended; although it has been decidedly reprobated by a cer- 

 tain writer, who has, within these few years, published what he 



