DIGESTION 141 



absolutely indigestible substance as horn-shavings. If the' 

 inert substance be omitted, they die of intestinal inflammation, 

 although fed on the same mixture of pure foods. Other rules 

 which govern digestion might be mentioned; and it is needless to 

 point out that, when the mechanism is deranged, steps adapted 

 to the particular malady must be taken to bring it back to a 

 normal condition. There is, however, one precaution upon which, 

 in a certain number of cases, it is impossible to lay too much 

 stress. The digestion of proteins is seldom carried out satis- 

 factorily when much sugar, and especially much cane-sugar, 

 has been eaten at the same meal. Excessive lactic fermenta- 

 tion prevents the proper peptonization of meat. The chemistry 

 of digestion is not sufficiently well understood to enable the 

 physiologist to say what is amiss ; but probably by-products 

 of peptic digestion are produced. To many people this is of 

 little consequence ; but to those who exhibit a gouty tendency 

 it is, unfortunately, a most serious matter. Civilized races are 

 particularly subject to the uric acid diathesis. In the course of 

 nitrogenous metabolism uric acid is formed in place of fully 

 oxidized and easily soluble neutral urea. Although the 

 chemical sequence has not been discovered as yet, there is no 

 question but that imperfect gastric digestion means the forma- 

 tion of uric acid, with all its lugubrious results : malaise, neck- 

 ache, emotional depression. Birds and reptiles form uric 

 acid as the end-product of nitrogenous metabolism, not urea. 

 So also do city-fathers, butchers, and others whose diet consists 

 too largely of meat. Many nervous, ill-nourished men and 

 women tend to do the same, however abstemious their meals. 

 It is useless to tell such persons to reduce the amount of 

 proteins in their diet. Their attempts at increasing the starch, 

 sugar, and fat at the expense of nitrogenous foods lead to 

 dyspepsia, which makes matters worse. They often find, 

 however, that if they are careful to restrict to the narrowest 

 limits the amount of carbohydrates (especially sugar) which 

 they take in conjunction with meat, fish, eggs, or other proteid 

 foods, the formation of uric acid ceases. Sugar, bread, fruit, 

 and other carbohydrates, may be taken in abundance, and 

 with great advantage, at breakfast and lunch, without proteid 

 food, if dinner consists of broth, fish, meat, cheese, vegetables, 

 with a minimum of bread. 



