414 



ORGANIC CHEMISTRY. 



submitted to the action of the gastric juice. Here it is 

 converted into a uniform greyish semi-fluid mass, called 

 chyme. The chyme is pushed forward by sponta- 

 neous contraction of the stomach. It yields its nutri- 

 tious matter, in the form of a milky liquid called 

 chyle, to minute absorbent vessels, distributed upon 

 the surface of the intestines. Through these absorb- 

 ent vessels it passes into the general circulation, and 

 is converted into blood. 



What are the 1033. TRANSFORMATION OF THE FOOD. 



offices of the The transformation of the nutritious por- 



qastricand . ,, . . . , T . ~, 1 



pancreatic tion of the chyme into chyle, is effected, 

 juices? j n p artj j^ the g as t r i c juice, and in part by 



the secretion of the pancreas. The latter organ lies 

 back of the right end of the stomach, and pours its 

 secretions into the duodenum, or first of the small in- 

 testines. The gastric juice dissolves the protein com- 

 pounds of the food, while the secretion of the pan- 

 creas transforms the sugar and starch of the food into 

 grape sugar. The chyle is thus perfected, and pre- 

 pared to be drawn off from the refuse portions of the 

 food. As sugar forms no part of healthy blood, we 

 must suppose that it undergoes immediate transforma- 

 tion with fat or other material, as soon as it enters the 

 circulation. The office of the bile which is secreted 

 by the liver, and poured into the intestines, is not tho- 

 roughly understood. 



1034. THE GASTRIC JUICE. The saliva 



To what is the ..... ..... -11 * * 



solvent agency which is mingled with the loocl in masti- 

 of the gastric cat i on has an effect similar to that of the 



juice due ? 



secretion of the pancreas. Another of its 



