Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-03-12
FOODS AND THEIR DIGESTION.
Medical Talk by DIR. ID. G. Hawley at the
y. Nj. q A. AaturdaI ExnnInn-

"euicei Talk by Dr. ID. Z. hawley at the
y. NJ. q. A. Saturday Evening.
The fourth medical talk in the Y. NJ C.
A. series was given by DR.. d. c. Hawley
Saturday evening to a good-sized audi
ence, which included a number of medical
students Dr. Hawley spoke on Foods
ana their Digestion" and the interesting
SUBJECT was treuted In u non-technical anu
entertaining manner. lie said in part:
Foods are of two kinds, inorganic and
organic. Salt and water make up tho first
class, which enter the system and leave
1t unchanged The organic foods include
the carbohydrates or starches and sugars,
teids or albuminods. The starches, sug-
ars and fats are made up of carbon, hy-
drogen and oxygen in different propor-
tions. The albuminoids contain nitrogen
in addition to carbon, hydrogen and
oxygen. Wheat contains 20 per cent of
starch, rice 90, potatoes 20 and arrow root
and tapioca 100 per cent. The best example
OF an albuminoid Is the white of an egg
DR.. Hawley then explained the object
OF digestion. The digestive apparatus oon-
sists of the. alimcntary canal which is
made up of the mouth, pharynx or throat
esophagus or gulet, stomach, small in
testne and large intestine. Its accessor-
les are the teeth, salivary glands, liver
pancreas and spleen. The almentary
length. The stomach Is 10 or 12 inches in
length, the small intestine is to 20 feet and
the large intestine Ave feet. Different ele-
ments of food are digestod in different
parts of the alimentary canal by differ
ent digestive fluids, which are five in num-
Der; SALIVA from the mouth, gastric Juice
from the stomach, pancreatic juice from
the pancreas, intestinal Juice from the in
testines and bile from the liver. Two
processes in digestion take place in the
mouth, mastication and insalivation and
thorough mastication is of the greatest
Importance. "A quick lunch Is there
fore to be avoided. The saliva in the
mouth converts starch into sugar. Starch
Is insoluble and sugar is soluble If this
conversion did not take place the stomach
would not be taken up by the blood ves-
sells In the liver the sugar is changed
back to starch and given off as the needs
of the body require
Inc digestion of albuminoids takes place
In the stomach only, by action of the gas
trio juice, which Is secreted according to
the wants of the system and not according
to the amount of food eaten Stomach di-
gestion is arrested by very low or very
high temperatures; hence ice water or hot
drinks have bad effect when taken in
large quantities. Theresult of this stomach
digestion Is fluid called peptone which
passes through the walls of the stomach
into the blood vessels. The perlstaltlc con-
traction OF the two layers of muscular
nbres which line the stomach sends the
foods which remain undgested down into
the intestine From two to three hours are
required for stomach digestion. Dr. Haw-
ley gave four requirements for perfect
stomach digestion: %. Food to be taken
only when hunger demands; () in proper
quantity; (3) thorough mastication; (D no
severe exercise of body or mind for an
hour after full meal.
Nben the food has been reduced In the
stomach to soft, pulpy mass portion Is
absorbed directly but the balance is con-
veyed into the small intestine, where II is
mixed with the bile and pancreatic Juice.
Up 10 thls time the fats have remained un-
digested, although they have melted.
Here they are converted into a white
opaque emulsion called chyle. The starch
not digested by the saliva and the album
inoids are now acted upon by elements in
the pancreatic and intestinal juices. The
result of this digestion. which has been
going on from the time the food was taken
INTO the mouth until It reaches the intes-
tine is the production of three substances.
peptone, chyle and glucose. These prod
ucts are now taken up into the circulation
by absorption, the blood being the COM
mon carrier of nutriment to all the tis-
sues.
Heef Is the most easily digestible and
most nutritious of all meats, mutton COM
Ing second and then pork The meat of
young animals Is not so nutrious as that of
older animals. Milk is the only substance
that contains all the elements which tho
BODY needs and it will, therefore, sustain
NE longer than any other one thing.
Wheat is the most valuable of all grains
and unbolted flour is the best way of pre-
pairing 1t. Hot bread and biscuits arc to
De avoided. Coffee has some value as a
nutriment Food is rendered more easily
digested by cooking.
Sait ana water exist In the body in GER
tam quantities and must be kept up. Two
I "a AirIt 1f% ~
water ana 1t Is therefore important as a
regular ingredient of the food Most peo-
pie drink too little water Two quarts per
uay is ABOUT the right amount and IL
should be taken with the food in moder-
ate quantities. Starches, sugars and fats
are the neat producers, the albuminoids
the tissue formers and salt and water ara
equally necessary. Alcoholic beverages do
not supply anything which a healthy BODY
needs and those who never make use OF
them maintain the highest mental and
physical vigor. While alcohol Increases
the activity of the body for IL time so thar
more work Is possible. then follows a
stage or depression of power which Is pro-
ionged and serious in proportion to the de-
gree OF previous eXhilaraton Its use
Is sometimes advisable to stimulate the
heart in the case of such a disease as
pneumonia. The man who uses LIQUOR has
FEWER chances of recovery In case of sick
nOSS 'hah one VINO does not use II, while
the capacity for prolonged endurance and
the ability to withstand heat and cold is
diminished by its habitual use.
br. Hawley said that while the methods
OF digestion were understood the manner
IN which this transformation of food into
lie force is carried on is mystery which
oauses us TO pause in wonder and admira-
ton. A chart and portions of the alimen-
tary canal were used by way of illustrate
ms some of the points in TIE talk