DIGESTION 



179 



by Colin. The following table shows the results, and also 

 furnishes detailed information, hour by hour, of the rate of 

 stomach digestion : 



On the whole, during the earlier hours of digestion the horses 

 receiving water digested hay better than those kept without it, 

 but there is no difference after the ninth or tenth hour succeeding 

 feeding. 



Digestion of Oats. — Oats take up their own weight of saliva, 

 and during digestion behave much as does hay — viz., while the 

 animal is feeding the contents of the stomach begin very early 

 to pass into the intestine, but the rate is considerably reduced 

 the moment no more material arrives in the organ. 



Colin fed six horses on 2-5 kilogrammes (5-5 pounds) oats : 

 three horses received uncrushed, three crushed corn, and the 

 following table shows the percentage digested : 



The crushing of the corn made no difference to the rate of diges- 

 tion — a point of practical importance in dietetics. Comparing 



