24 SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



ant part in the digestion of the fats, for it dissolves 

 a large quantity of the fatty acids coming from the 

 stomach, as well as emulsifying, that is, dividing 

 into minute drops, the unchanged fat of the food. 

 The bile also stimulates the muscles of the small 

 intestine and increases its movements. 



The pancreatic juice is a clear, colourless liquid 

 without smell, and exerts a powerful digestive 

 action upon the proteins as well as upon the fats 

 and starch. The enzyme which acts upon the 

 proteins is known as trypsin, and it converts them 

 not only into albumoses and peptones, as was the 

 case with gastric juice, but into simpler non-protein 

 substances. The action of pancreatic juice upon the 

 fats is similar to that in the stomach, but more ener- 

 getic, whereas the starch is changed almost instantly, 

 substances similar to those formed by the saliva in 

 the mouth being the result. The partially digested 

 food next meets the intestinal juice, the effect of 

 which is to change any remaining protein or starch 

 in a manner similar to that exercised by the pan- 

 creatic juice. 



To the action of these various digestive fluids 

 must be added that of the bacteria which play an 

 important part in the large intestine and in the 

 vermiform appendix. In the ruminants bacterial 

 action begins even in the first stomach. The 

 bacteria break down portions of the food and use 

 it for their own nutrition. They are also capable 



