128 DIGESTION 



cannot take the place of the natural digestive juices, but, on 

 the contrary, dilute and weaken them. 



23. Secondly, the saliva being largely the medium of the 

 sense of taste, the natural flavors of the food are not devel- 

 oped, and consequently it appears comparatively insipid. 

 Hence the desire for highly-seasoned food, and pungent 

 sauces, that both deprave the taste and over-excite the diges- 

 tive organs. Rapid eating also permits the entrance of injuri- 

 ous substances which may escape detection by the taste, and 

 be unconsciously received into the system. In some instances, 

 the most acrid and poisonous substances have been swallowed 

 " by mistake," before the sense of taste could act and demand 

 their rejection. 



24. Thirdly, the food, being imperfectly broken up by the 

 teeth, is hurried onward to the stomach, to be by it more 

 thoroughly divided. But the stomach is not at all adapted to 

 perform the task thus imposed upon it ; and the crude masses 

 of food remain a heavy burden within the stomach, and a 

 source of distress to that organ, retarding the performance 

 of its proper duty. Hence persons who habitually eat too 

 rapidly, frequently fall victims to dyspepsia.* Kapid eating 

 also conduces to overeating. The food is introduced so 

 rapidly that the system has not time to recognize that its 

 real wants are met, and hence the appetite continues, although 

 more nutriment has been swallowed than the system requires, 

 or can healthfully appropriate. 



25. The Stomach. As soon as each separate portion of food 

 is masticated and insalivated, it is swallowed; that is, it is 

 caused to move downward to the stomach, through a narrow 

 muscular tube about nine inches in length, called the oesopJia- 

 gusj or gullet (Fig. 29). The stomach is the only large expan- 



* For the same reason, persons who prematurely lose their teeth suffer 

 from dyspepsia. For them a proper means of relief is the use of artificial 

 teeth. 



28. Loss of taste ? Another effect of rapid eating ? Mistakes ? 



24. Effect of imperfectly -broken food in the stjomach ? Dyspepsia ? Overeating ? 



25. Gullet ? Describe the stomach and its location. Effects of gormandizing ? 



