VITAL STATISTICS. 885 



COMPOSITION OF GASTRIC JUICE. 



Water 99.44 



Solids 



Pepsin, .319 



Salts 218 



Hydrochloric acid 02 



.557 

 100 



Fluids of the Body (FORD). 1. Circulating fluids, chyle, 

 lymph, blood. 



2. Fluids for digestion, saliva, gastric juice, pancreatic juice, bile, 

 intestinal juice. 



3. Fluids of closed cavities, of the arachnoid, pleural, pericardial, 

 and peritoneal sacs, of joints, of the eye and ear, and of cells. 



4. Secretions for protection, cerumen or wax, tears, fluid of mucous 

 membranes, oily fluids on the surface of the body. 



5. Fluids for discharge, intestinal secretion, renal or kidney se- 

 cretion, perspiration, vapor from the lungs, etc. 



Acids and Alkalies of the Body. Acids, gastric juice, mu- 

 cus, chyme, contents of large intestine. 



Alkalies, saliva (or neutral), pancreatic juice, intestinal juice, 

 bile (or neutral), contents of small intestine, sweat. 



Amount of Digestive Liquids. The amount of saliva secreted 

 daily is estimated at from 1 to 3 pints, of gastric juice from 10 to 20 pints, 

 of bile from 2 to 3 pints. The amount of intestinal and other juices is 

 difficult to estimate. But it is readily seen that a very large amount of 

 liquid is daily separated from the blood to be used in the preparation of 

 the food for absorption into the blood. This is to be looked upon as an 

 investment. It is supposed to be reabsorbed with large returns in addi- 

 tion to the prepared food ; and if anything interferes with the absorp- 

 tion of the food material, especially if the secretion goes on, it is plain 

 that bankruptcy will follow as surely as in the business world whenever 

 there is a continual expenditure without corresponding returns.' The 

 condition known as "diarrhea" illustrates this condition, perhaps, as 

 well as any well-known condition of the body. 



Specific Gravity of the Liquids of the Body. As all the 

 liquids of the body have dissolved and suspended in them various salts 

 and other matters, they *are all heavier than water. 



