The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-01

DR.. Frederic b. Gerrisb, gave a very clear
and valuable lecture last evening, in the
Workingmen's course, on Digestion
Every machine ia all of the time wearing
ont and vase Is manifested. Repair takes
place in animals and plants In this respect
these beings differ from other machines. The
method OF repairing waste 10 by taking food
in case OF plants as we'll as animals. Plants
can be starved through the Leases or roots.
There are different classes Of foods, nameiy,
mtne-a', as 0, yx N, " Ter, alt, &c. Oxygeii =
n most imp rG Mt funSs Starchv foods, inc a.
ding sugars, fatty food. and albuminoids. Min
erals are absorbed first as they are. but the last
named foods must be changed before absorbed,
this chang Is called digestion. The starchy
foods are changed into glucose. The only fraud
IN selling glucose for cane sugar is selling
a cheaper m aterial, it is not poison.
Fatty foods must be changed to emulsions.
An emulsion is condition in which the mate
rial is changed to small particles. Milk is an
example. Albuminoids are changed to pep
tones Bread, grain. vegetables &C., yield
from meats or feshes. Mineral foods are de-
rived from all those varieties.
The stomach, flask shaped cavity, Is the
principal digestive organ. The tissues ara
muscular. Bundles Of muscular fhres overlie
one and other. making very strong ryan. A
seen in tripe Mucous membrane may also be
seen in tripe. This is the extensive lining of
the body. The membrane, not being elastic
is arranged in the stomach in folds, which
are effaced when distended. In the
mucous membrane there are many
little depressions. These are called
glands. They secrete the gastric juice. Sue
cessive conractiona or wave motion of the
stomach muscles constitute the churning
movement, bringing the food into contact with
the gastric juice. Food Is kept in the stom-
ach by valve, "the guardian of the gate"
which allows liquids and indigestible solids to
pass. The intastiDes, which are about
twenty feet long, digest part OF the food.
Numerous projections called rilli do the alb
sorbing in the intestines. Now the important
question is how can We keep this apparatus in
good condition? AL diseases below the da-
phragm are attended with dependency. Food
shonld be harmless, taken In proper form.
manner, quantity, and regularly. Food should
always be simple. Some foods are TO tickle
tho taste. The most perfect food is milk, con-
taiDiniDg all of the food Ingredients, the
sugars, the abuminoids, the minerals, &C., of
the grocer. 1t is desirable to eat meat. Bread
should not be eaten hot, as it is thus too
compact when taken into the stomach. A
very common cause of dyspepsia Ia imperfect
chewing. Almost all dyspertics testi y to this
fact. Do not put upon the stomach the work
OF the mouth. Liquid Of the mouth is poured
out by excitement OF chewing. At no meal
should person drink more than a cupful of
water. Too much liquid dilutes the gastric
juice The lecture was an,1y illustrated with
black board sketches and also with stereopticon
pictures of microscopic sections, which were
thrown upon the screen by Mr.. Charles B.
Fuller with his characteristic skill