Food and its Digestion. 255 



ments, like the gluten in bread, casein in milk, and its 

 composition is as follows : 



Water, 975.00 



Organic matter (pepsin), 15.00 



Lactic acid, 4.78 



Chloride of sodium,.. 1.70 



" " potassium, 1.08 



" " calcium, 0.20 



" " ammonium, 0.65 



Phosphate of lime, 1.48 



" " magnesia, 0.06 



Iron, 0.05 



1000.00 



In a healthy human adult the quantity of gastric juice 

 secreted in 24 hours probably ranges from 10 to 20 pints ; 

 its maximum, in an hour, under favorable circumstances, 

 not less than from 6 to 8 pints. 



Of the action of the bile in the process of digestion, much 

 has yet to be established, but that it exercises a stimula- 

 ting influence upon the absorbents of the intestinal canal 

 is fally proven. 



The composition of the pancreatic juice which digests or 

 rather emulsionizes the fatty (hydro-carbon), elements of 

 food, which action has only been determined within the 

 last few years by Prof. Bernard, of Paris, is as follows : 



Water, 900.76 



Organic matter (pancreatine), 90.38 



Chloride of sodium, 7.36 



Free soda, 0.32 



Phosphate of soda, 0.45 



Sulphate of soda, 0.10 



" " potassa, 0.02 



Combinations of lime, 0.54 



" " magnesia, 0.05 



" " oxide of iron, 0.02 



1000.00 



