x.] DIGESTION OF FOOD. 89 



taken up by the absorbent vessels. As soon, however, 

 as the formation of the chyme has been duly perfected, 

 it is passed from the fourth stomach into the du(> 

 denum, which is the highest part of the small intestine, 

 and Here it meets with two other fluids, the bile and 

 the pancreatic juice. The bile is a secretion 

 formed by the liver, and is in reality a soap with an 

 excess of soda. The pancreatic juice is secreted by 

 the pancreas or sweetbread. This juice is colourless 

 and transparent, and has the same power as the saliva, 

 for converting any starch into sugar. It is therefore 

 ready to complete any work left unfinished by the 

 saliva in the first stage. The bile, however, has 

 entirely new work to accomplish, viz., getting the 

 oily matter of food blended with water. 



"Y8 7 . You^teow TMr"c^mW6n^ soap carries with 

 it a certain quantity of soda, and if used upon any 

 greasy matter, it enables the grease to be mixed with 

 the water used for the purpose of washing, and thus 

 the oily matter is removed in the water. The bile is 

 an animal soap, and as soon as it is brought in con- 

 tact with the oily matter floating in the chyme, the 

 soda it contains enters into combination, and the oily 

 matter of the original food is blended with 

 the water. After the chyme has been thus acted 

 upon by the bile it is called chyle, and this associa 

 tion of names may help you to remember their proper 

 sequence. 



1 88. The mineral matter found in food is under the 

 same conditions, and especially by the action of the 

 gastric juice, prepared for entering into the circulation, 

 and thus the blood also becomes charged with the 

 inorganic matter which is required. 



189. We have now got each portion of the food 

 blended with water, viz., the starchy matters of the 

 food, the nitrogenous substances, the oily portions, 

 and the inorganic matter. These supplies of food are 

 always accompanied by other matters, such as cellulose 



