Digestion in the Stomach. 173 



into the gullet ; the soft palate is raised and the epiglottis is pressed 

 down, covering the opening into the windpipe. 



4. Food is pushed along the gullet by the shortening of the ring- 

 like muscles. 



5. The stomach is pear-shaped, with the large end to the left. 



6. The stomach has four coats, serous, muscular, submucous, and 

 mucous. 



7. The gastric glands are tube-like pits in the mucous coat of the 

 stomach. They make gastric juice. 



8. The mucous coat of the stomach contains more blood during 

 digestion, and is more red, than when resting. 



9. Pepsin in the gastric juice changes proteids to peptones. 



10. The muscles of the stomach wall give a churning motion. 



1 1 . The food is reduced to a thick liquid called chyme. 



12. The stomach requires three or four hours to digest a meal. 



Questions. i. Why is one more likely to choke if he thinks about 

 the process of swallowing? 



2. What are the peculiarities of a cow's stomach? 



3. What is the " rice ordeal " ? What can we learn from it? 



4. Why do athletes eat sparingly before a game? 



5. How does indigestion sometimes make one short-winded? 



6. Why is it uncomfortable to hold the organs in the " swallowing 

 position"? 



7. Why is it hard to swallow a pill? Why take water with it ? 



8. Try swallowing repeatedly. Why is it difficult? 



9. How is the structure of the windpipe favorable to swallowing? 

 10. Why is indigestion more noticeable in the stomach than later? 



