136 DIGESTION 



41. In addition to the preparation which the food undergoes 

 in cooking, which we have already considered, many circum- 

 stances affect the duration of digestion; such as the quality, 

 quantity, and temperature of the food; the condition of the 

 mind and body; sleep, exercise, and habit. Fresh food, 

 except new bread and the flesh of animals recently slain, is 

 more rapidly digested than that which is stale ; and animal 

 food more rapidly than that from the vegetable kingdom. 



42. Food should not be taken in too concentrated a form, 

 the action of the stomach being favored when it is somewhat 

 bulky ; but a large quantity in the stomach, especially if there 

 is much liquid, often retards digestion. If the white of one 

 egg be given to a dog, it will be digested in an hour, but if the 

 white of eight eggs be given it will not disappear in four 

 hours. A wine-glassful of ice-water causes the temperature 

 of the stomach to fall thirty degrees ; and it requires a half- 

 hour before it will recover its natural warmth about a 

 hundred degrees at which the operations of digestion are 

 best conducted. A variety of articles, if not too large in 

 amount, is more easily disposed of than a meal made of a 

 single article ; although a single indigestible article may inter- 

 fere with the reduction of articles that are easily digested. 

 (Bead Note 10.) 



stomachs examined. It was found that the hound that hunted still had 

 the stomach full of food, while that of the stay-at-home was empty. 

 When you have a hard piece of work on hand do not eat much ; the 

 more you eat the weaker you are for the purpose." Buckland (in part}. 

 10. Digestibility of Warm Food. "It is very desirable that all 

 cooked food should be taken hot. When it is eaten cold it reduces the 

 temperature of the stomach, and both the nerves and vessels of the 

 stomach are taxed in order to bring the temperature of the food thus 

 taken up to that of the human body. Mankind in all ages seems to 

 have discovered that it is desirable to prevent this tax upon the internal 

 organs, and have taken their food hot in order to prevent it. It was 

 death to the Roman slave to bring in his master's water tepid or cold 

 so much importance did they attach to hot water as drink. Many of 

 our own beverages are taken hot even in summer weather ; and it is an 



41. Circumstances affecting duration of digestion ? Fresh food ? 



42. Food in concentrated form ? A large quantity of food ? Experiment on the 

 Ice-water ? Variety of articles ? 



