THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 133 



stomach — i.e., saliva and gastric juice, as well as by the 

 bile, pancreatic, and intestinal fluids— the chyme is con- 

 verted into a milky emulsion called chyle. While this 

 process is going on, a portion of the new material is 

 absorbed by the vessels of the intestines and carried 

 to the portal vein, and so to the liver. 



(8) By the action of the muscular walls of the bowels the 



chyle is forced along the intestinal track, when numerous 

 little bodies called villi, which are studded all over the 

 lining: membrane, select more of the available nutritive 

 material, and this is carried by the lymphatic vessels 

 into a receptacle lying under the backbone in the 

 lumbar region, and called the receptaculum chyli ; 

 here it meets with other material absorbed from the 

 posterior parts of the body, and, along with this, is 

 carried by the thoracic duct into the blood by one of 

 the veins (just before it enters the right side of the 

 heart), and by means of the circulation of the blood is 

 then distributed to all parts of the body. 



(9) The un absorbed residue, being that which is indigestible, 



or in excess of requirements, passes along the intestines, 

 and is expelled by the rectum as faces. 



224. I may here mention that a horse should never be watered 

 after feeding, as it has a very small stomach. It is generally 

 believed that, if a feed of oats be given, and then a drink of water 

 in close succession, the water will wash the oats in front of it right 

 along the 72 feet of small intestines into the ccecum, or blind gut. 

 The food has, therefore, no chance of being digested, consequently 

 fermentation occurs. Whether this is so or not may be an open 

 question ; but from the smallness of the stomach there can be no 

 hesitation in stating that a horse can drink more water at a time 

 than would fill that organ, therefore it is a safe rule always to give 

 water before feeding. In cold weather let the horse's drinking 

 water stand indoors for some hours before use to take the ' chill ' 

 off, and then give from half to one pailful before its food. 



