354. 



A TEXTBOOK OF PHYSIOLOGY 



of the milk of various animals can be seen in the following table (Konig) 

 stated in parts per 1 ,000 of milk : 



Water. 



Solids. Proteins. Fat. Sugar. Salts. 



The waLus's milk contains as much as 43 per cent, of fat. By 

 the action of a special fungus the kephir fungus the lactose of milk, 

 which does not normally undergo alcoholic fermentation, ferments 

 to alcohol (1 to 3 per cent.), giving with cow's milk the drink known 

 as kephir, with mare's milk koumiss. It is a general drink in Bulgaria 

 and the Steppes of Russia. 



Meat consists of the muscle of animals and fat, with a certain 

 amount of connective tissue. Besides the visible fat in prime meat, 

 there is a considerable amount of masked fat also in the fibres. The 

 muscle also contains various extractives and other bodies. 



Eggs are an exceedingly valuable article of diet by virtue of their 

 great digestibility. The white of the egg consists chiefly of egg 

 albumin, with a small amount of egg globulin, and a mucus-like 

 body ovo-inucoid. A small amount of sugar (0-5 per cent.), and 

 traces of fats, lipoids, and salts (0-6 per cent.), are present. In the 

 yolk there is present also the phospho-protein vitellin, fat, and the 

 colouring matter lipochrome. 



The Cereals wheat, barley, oats, rye, rice are the most widely 

 used articles of diet. They contain much starch, and have the groat 

 advantage of being cheap. In their husks are contained valuable 

 salts and vitamines. Their proteins, besides not being so well absorbed 

 as animal proteins, do not contain such an appropriate assortment 

 of " bricks" for building animal tissues as do the animal foodstuffs. 

 Some of the ' bricks " e.g., glutamic acid are present in large quantity, 

 and if used for body-building, must be broken down previous to 

 resynthesis. It has been shown that proteins, such as zein (from 

 maize) and hordein (from barley), do not by themselves suffice to 

 give the appropriate nitrogen to the body. Oatmeal with 7 pr 

 cent, of fat, against 1 per cent, in wheat, is a very valuable article of 

 diet, and should figure largely hi the diet of all peoples inhabiting 

 temperate zones. 



Flour is made from the endosperm of wheat. Generally the outer 

 husk (bran), inner husk (sharps), and the germ, are removed during 



