ORGANS AND PROCESSES OF DIGESTION 161 



gestive fluids in the stomach and intestines cannot act 

 upon it to the best advantage. When the food is carefully 

 chewed, a larger per cent of it is actually digested a point 

 of importance where economy in the use of food needs to 

 be practiced. 



A fact not to be overlooked is that one cannot eat 

 hurriedly and practice thorough mastication. The food 

 must not be swallowed in lumps, but reduced to a finely 

 divided and pulpy mass. This requires time. The one 

 who hurries through the meal is necessarily compelled to 

 bolt his food. Thirty minutes is not too long to give to a 

 meal, and a longer period is even better. 



Perhaps the most important result of giving plenty of 

 time to the taking of food is that of stimulating the di- 

 gestive glands to a proper degree of activity. That both the 

 salivary and gastric glands are excited by the sight, smell, 

 and thought of food and, through taste, by the presence 

 of food in the mouth, has been fully demonstrated. Food 

 that is thoroughly masticated and relished will receive 

 more saliva and gastric juice, and probably more of other 

 juices, than if hastily chewed and swallowed. This has a 

 most important bearing upon the efficiency of the digestive 

 processes. 



Order of Taking Food. There has been evolved through experience 

 a rather definite order of taking food, which our knowledge of the 

 process of digestion seems to justify. The heavy foods (proteids for 

 the most part) are eaten first ; after which are taken starchy foods and 

 fats; and the meal is finished off with sweetmeats and pastry. 1 The 

 scientific arguments for this order are the following : 



I . By receiving the first of the gastric flow the proteids can begin 



1 Beginning the meal with a little soup, as is frequently done, may be of slight 

 advantage in stimulating the digestive glands. To serve this purpose, however, 

 and not interfere with the meal proper, it should contain little greasy or starchj 

 material and should be taken in small amount. 



