134 LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 



which the gastric juice experiences in reducing 

 them to chyme. It will be, therefore, a longer time 

 before these float off from the surface of the ali- 

 mentary mass, so as to leave the next layer exposed 

 to the action of the gastric juice ; and the under 

 layers or portions of food, which are waiting for 

 their turn to be exposed, will be kept so waiting, 

 longer than the wonted space of time. The con- 

 sequence of this is, that they are kept waiting, 

 untouched by the gastric fluid, until they begin to 

 undergo those changes common to all vegetable 

 and animal matter, when placed in a warm, moist, 

 and confined situation; viz. fermentation; the 

 vegetable matter undergoing the acid fermentation; 

 and the animal, putrefactive. For it must be remem- 

 bered, that the food in the stomach still continues 

 to be food, still remains unaltered, still continues, 

 therefore, to be obedient to the common laws of fer- 

 mentation and putrefaction, until it has its nature 

 and identity destroyed, and a new nature and identity 

 bestowed upon it by virtue of the action which 

 the gastric juice exerts upon it. It ferments and 

 putrefies, therefore, in the stomach (if not acted 

 upon by the gastric juice) as quickly as it would 

 do, on a sultry summer's day, in a small pantry, 

 with its windows and door kept shut. And this 



