334 AGRICULTURAL CHEMISTRY 



in the lower part of the digestive tract where diastase 

 and other ferment bodies are secreted which change the 

 insoluble carbohydrates to soluble forms. When com- 

 pletely digested, carbon dioxid and water are the final 

 products. Between the soluble carbohydrates formed by 

 the diastase and other ferments and the final products of 

 oxidation, carbon dioxid and water, a large number of 

 intermediate products are formed. Glycogen is one of 

 these bodies and is a carbohydrate present in small 

 amounts in the blood but stored up largely in the liver. 

 The process of carbohydrate digestion is one in which the 

 soluble ferments take an important part, changing the in- 

 soluble compounds to soluble and assimilable forms. 



456. Digestion of Fats Bile and the intestinal fluids 

 are the main factors which assist in the digestion of fats. 

 After emulsion or separation into fine particles, the fats 

 are changed to glycerin and fatty acids by the action of 

 a ferment body. They are then absorbed and undergo 

 slow oxidation whereby carbohydrate- like bodies are pro- 

 duced. These products then undergo the same general 

 changes as the carbohydrates. 



457. Oxygen Necessary for Digestion. In order that 

 digestion may proceed in a normal way, a liberal supply 

 of air is necessary to oxidize the nutrients and to prevent 

 the formation of poisonous waste products in the body. 

 In the absence of a liberal supply of air, normal digestion 

 fails to take place. Oxygen is equally as important as 

 protein, fat, carbohydrates or water. 



458. Factors Influencing Digestion. There are a 



