CHYME. 



39 



over, it is here mixed with the intestinal secretion, and it is 

 probable that the digestion, not entirely accomplished in the 

 stomach, is here perfected. 



There are many points connected with the process of digestion 

 which have not been hitherto explained. We may especially 

 instance the conversion of chyme into chyle. It is very diffi- 

 cult to understand the source of the large quantity of albumen 

 found in the chyle, even before it has passed the mesenteric 

 glands, and just after its absorption by the intestinal villi. 



An experiment made by Tiedemann and Gmelin on the 

 chyme and the chyle of a horse fed with oats, will place the 

 difference clearly before the reader. 



a denotes the fluid expressed from the thick, pulpy, acid 

 contents of the stomach. It was of a brownish yellow colour, 

 turbid, became darker on exposure to the air, and much more 

 turbid on boiling, and on the addition of bichloride of mercury. 

 b is the brownish yellow fluid from the duodenum, c is the 

 brownish yellow fluid obtained from the central portion of the 

 small intestine, mixed with mucous flocculi and with a tough al- 

 buminous substance, apparently resembling salivary matter. 

 d is the brownish yellow fluid from the lower part of the small 

 intestine, e is chyle from the absorbents before its entrance 

 into the mesenteric glands, f is chyle from the absorbents 

 after its passage through them : and g is chyle from the thoracic 

 duct. 



We shall omit the amount of water in these various fluids, 

 and merely compare the composition of their solid residue. 



1000 parts of solid residue contained : 



a. b. c. d. e. f. g. 



1. Resinous matter, with an 



acid soluble in ether . 1'56 0-79 0-25 0-15 



2. Resinous matter soluble in 



anhydrous alcohol, alco- 

 hol-extract, and salts so- 

 luble in spirit . . 61-56 44-61 67-25 77-60 67-50 42-24 30-44 



3. Spirit-extract, probably 



gummy matters and salts 25-26 10-80 5-08 "I * 



4. Insoluble brown matter . 0-66 9-14 / 



5. Brown nitrogenous mat- 



ter, soluble only in water 16-32 12-44 7-40 2-50 2-17 3-11 



g. Albumen, oxydised extrac- 

 tive nfatter, and phos- 

 phate of lime . . 11-00 7-11 5-03 3-10 27-56 49'82 63'98 



