CAUSES OF INDIGESTION 115 



A mass of wheat forms a tough, glue-like lump 

 in the stbmach, so that it is comparatively imper- 

 vious to the action of the digestive fluid, and di- 

 gestion goes on slowly and imperfectly, and is 

 apt to be arrested, causing serious indigestion. 

 Peas and beans, owing to their flinty nature, are 

 also less digestible than oats. Corn, when fed 

 whole, is fairly easily digested, but when ground 

 is difficult of digestion, unless the cobs are also 

 ground with it, which renders it more pervious. 

 Wheat, corn, pea and bean meal can be rendered 

 much more digestible by being fed thoroughly 

 mixed with a little chaffed hay. The chaffed hay, 

 when consumed with the meal, renders the meal 

 more pervious to the action of the digestive fluid 

 and consequently more digestible. Where, from 

 economy or convenience, it is found desirable to 

 use any of these grains for horses, it can be done 

 with comparative safety, if they are ground and 

 fed with chaffed hay. When meal is fed with 

 chaff in this way, it is generally quite thoroughly 

 moistened, which is a mistake, as in this condition 

 it is apt to be too hastily eaten and too imperfect- 

 ly mixed with saliva to be thoroughly digested. 

 One reason given for moistening is that it makes 

 the meal stick to the chaff and insures the two 

 being consumed together. There is something 

 in this, but, as a rule, if they are thoroughly 

 mixed, there will be enough of the chaff consumed 



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