418 
DIGESTION OF AMYLACEOUS SUBSTANCES. 
juice; the result being the transformation of fecula into 
dextrine and sugar, similar to that produced by diastase. 
To this last division M. Blondlot raises some objections. 
He says : — 
“We are now about to axaraine this doctrine in the most favorable 
circumstances, namely, when the fecula to be digested appears under the 
form of paste. 
“ If, as we have proved, the transformation of paste by animal substances 
cannot be effected in the presence of an acid re-action, the contents of 
the stomach being always acid, the transformation of which we speak 
can only be produced before the entrance of the aliments into that viscera, 
or after they have left it. Now, the time employed in mastication and 
deglutition is quite insufficient to produce a result of any importance. 
It is evident, moreover, that in the generality of animals, the mouth 
and oesophagus are chiefly places of transit and not organs of deposit, in 
which matters may, by a more prolonged stay, become subject to chemical 
modifications. 
“ What I have said of the saliva applies also, in great measure, to the 
pancreatic juice, seeing that at the moment of leaving the stomach, the 
chyme always possesses some acidity, which it generally loses by degrees as 
it passes through the intestine ; so that supposing that this acidity dis- 
appears towards the end of the colon, which is far from being always the 
case, the pancreatic juice has only a small portion of matter to act upon, 
and that if there were then an accidental production of dextrine and glucose, 
it could only be in insignificant proportions. 
“ Therefore, admitting the most favorable state of the case, namely, the 
ingestion of the amylaceous matter in the state of fluid paste, the theory of 
saccharification will not bear a serious examination, there is greater reason 
to believe that it would be the same if we applied it to raw fecula, that is to 
say, in the state in which it is taken by all the zoological species. 
“ Here my task is easy ; for I have only to quote the avowals of those 
who have the highest opinion of the power of the pretended agents. , 
‘ Raw fecula,’ says M. Miallie, ‘ is only very slowly and very imperfectly 
rendered soluble by the saliva. At the first moment of contact the action 
is almost imperceptible ; but when starch is digested in fresh saliva for 
two or three days, care being taken to aid the re-action by a temperature 
raised to 45° or 50° C. (113° to 122° F.), the transformation of the fecula 
becomes evident.’ Thus the saliva has positively no action on crude 
fecula for the first day or two of contact, namely, for a space of time far 
exceeding, not only the duration of the mastication, but even the entire 
time necessary for digestion. As for what occurs after that time at a 
temperature which exceeds that of the body, as the result, whatever it may 
be, can have no physiological application, we have no need to examine 
into it. 
“Moreover, these negative results have been proved by M. Lassaigne’s 
experiments, as well as my own, not only on the saliva, but likewise on the 
pancreatic juice. We have each ascertained that below 40° C. (104° F.) 
neither of these liquids caused the solution of fecula and its conversion 
into sugar. 
“ From the above it appears that no substance exists in the digestive 
tube capable of saccharifying fecula, and that it is necessary to seek else- 
where than in the saliva and pancreatic juice for the agent, which produces 
the disaggregation.” 
In the third part, our author is desirous of proving that all 
