242 VBTBEINAEY HYGIENE 



Wheat. 



This is generally recognised as an unsafe food for horses, 

 but probably because they seldom get it owing to its 

 cost. Horses are fond of it, and will gorge themselves 

 if permitted. It should only be given in small quanti- 

 ties, one or two pounds to begin with, and the amount 

 gradually increased. In this way laminitis and abdominal 

 trouble, which are otherwise sure to follow, may be 

 prevented. 



Green wheat has been given with marked beneficial 

 effect to horses out of condition, about 10 lbs. daily 

 may be allowed. Wheat in small quantities has been 

 used for sheep feeding with good results. In Voelcker's 

 experiments about 11 ozs. of whole grain were given 

 daily. Wheat can never assume any important proportion 

 as a food for animals ; it is in too universal request as a 

 food for man. 



There are roughly two envelopes to a grain of wheat, the 

 outside one consists of cellulose, the one inside this is a 

 layer of rich nitrogenous matter termed cerealine, and it is 

 to this layer that bran owes such nutritive properties as it 

 possesses. It gives a dark colour to bread, and is con- 

 sidered objectionable on this account. It acts energetically 

 as a ferment, and converts starch into sugar. 



These envelopes of wheat furnish bran, an important 

 article in the feeding of animals. 



Bran. 



Bran consists of two kinds a fine and coarse, the former 

 is termed Pollards, the latter Bran. One hundred parts of 

 wheat furnish 80 parts of flour, 16 of bran, and 4 of loss. 

 In chemical composition bran is a most deceptive article of 

 diet, it is rich in proteids — mainly the ferment cerealine 

 spoken of above — and a fair proportion of carbo-hydrate and 

 fat ; the salts are excessive and are principally represented 

 by magnesium phosphate, which is very insoluble in the 



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