28 PHYSIOLOGY AND HEALTH. 



rapidly. He swallows his food faster than the gastric juice 

 is prepared to mix with it. Before enough of this fluid is 

 poured out for the first morsel, the second is swallowed, and 

 before this is moistened, a third arrives; and thus every 

 moment increases this mass of food waiting in the stomach 

 for its dissolving fluid. As long as this juice continues to 

 flow, there is an appetite. But before it ceases, he has eaten 

 so much that his tardy reflections tell him that he has eaten 

 enough, and more than enough. Obedient to his reflections 

 rather than to his sensations, he rises from his table before he 

 has satisfied his appetite, which continues for several minutes 

 longer, until the gastric juice ceases flowing and mixing 

 with the food. When this happens, there is yet in the 

 stomach some food unmixed with the fluid, and this is so 

 much more than can be dissolved. The stomach struggles 

 painfully for several hours to digest or get rid of this excess, 

 and hence comes the oppression that hangs heavily upon him 

 through the interval between his meals. 



45. The work of digestion commences immediately after 

 we begin to eat; as soon as we swallow one morsel, some 

 gastric juice is given out and combines with it. The second 

 morsel excites the flow of more of this fluid, and enough for 

 its own solution. In the same manner, each successive 

 morsel provokes the secretion of as much of this fluid as it 

 needs, until all shall be given out that can be given at 

 that time. If, therefore, we eat slowly and naturally, by the 

 time that we shall have finished eating, all the food will be 

 moistened. In a few minutes more, all the gastric juice tha+ 

 can be prepared on that occasion is thrown into the stomach ; 

 and this is sufficient, in health, to dissolve as much food aa 

 the nutrition of the system then needs, and no more. 



