of the muscular fibres, will be imperfect. Again, if food is taken before the digestion of the preceding meal has been completed, the effects will be still worse, because the food partially digested becomes mixed with that last taken. Therefore the interval between each meal should be long enough for the whole quantity to be digested, and the time of repose should be sufficient to recruit the exhausted organs. The feebler the person and the more debilitated the stomach, the more important to observe the above directions. Observation. In the feeding of infants, as well as in supplying food to older children, the preceding suggestions should always be regarded. The person who has been confined by an exhausting sickness, should most scrupulously regard this rule, if he wishes to regain his strength and flesh with rapidity. As the rapidity of the digestive process is less in students and individuals who are engaged in sedentary employments, than in stirring agriculturists, the former class are more liable to take food too frequently than the latter, while its observance is of greater importance to the sedentary artisan than to the lively lad and active farmer. 307. Food should be well masticated. All solid aliments should be reduced to a state of comparative fineness, by the teeth, before it is swallowed; the gastric fluid of the stomach will then blend with it more readily, and act more vigorously in reducing it to chyme. The practice of swallowing solid food, slightly masticated, or "bolting" it down, tends to derange the digestive process and impair the nutrition of the system. 308. Mastication should be moderate, not rapid. In mas ticating food, the salivary glands are excited to action, and some time must elapse before they can secrete saliva in suffi What persons would be benefited by observing the preceding remarks? 307. Why should food be well masticated? What is the effect of "bolting down" food? 308. How should mastication be performed? Why? CHAPTER XVI. HYGIENE OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS, CONTINUED. 303. The MANNER in which food should be taken is of much practical importance; upon it the health of the digestive organs measurably depends. But few circumstances modify the proper manner of taking food, or should exercise any controlling influence. 304. Food should be taken at regular periods. The interval between meals should be regulated by the character of the food, the age, health, exercise, and habits of the individual. The digestive process is more energetic and rapid in the young, active, and vigorous, than in the aged, indolent, and feeble; consequently, food should be taken more frequently by the former than by the latter class. 305. In some young and vigorous persons, food may be digested in one hour; in other persons, it may require four hours or more. The average time, however, to digest an ordinary meal, will be from two to four hours. In all instances, the stomach will require from one to three hours to recruit its exhausted powers after the labor of digesting a meal. before it will again enter upon the vigorous performance of its duties. If food is 306. Food should not be taken too frequently. taken before the stomach has regained its tone and energy by repose, the secretion of the gastric juice, and the contraction 303. Why is it important that we regard the manner of taking our food? 804. How should the intervals between meals be regulated? 305. What is the average time required to digest an ordinary meal? 306. Why should not food be taken too frequently? of the muscular fibres, will be imperfect. Again, if food is taken before the digestion of the preceding meal has been completed, the effects will be still worse, because the food partially digested becomes mixed with that last taken. Therefore the interval between each meal should be long enough for the whole quantity to be digested, and the time of repose should be sufficient to recruit the exhausted organs. The feebler the person and the more debilitated the stomach, the more important to observe the above directions. Observation. In the feeding of infants, as well as in supplying food to older children, the preceding suggestions should always be regarded. The person who has been confined by an exhausting sickness, should most scrupulously regard this rule, if he wishes to regain his strength and flesh with rapidity. As the rapidity of the digestive process is less in students and individuals who are engaged in sedentary employments, than in stirring agriculturists, the former class are more liable to take food too frequently than the latter, while its observance is of greater importance to the sedentary artisan than to the lively lad and active farmer. 307. Food should be well masticated. All solid aliments should be reduced to a state of comparative fineness, by the teeth, before it is swallowed; the gastric fluid of the stomach will then blend with it more readily, and act more vigorously in reducing it to chyme. The practice of swallowing solid food, slightly masticated, or "bolting" it down, tends to derange the digestive process and impair the nutrition of the system. 308. Mastication should be moderate, not rapid. In mas ticating food, the salivary glands are excited to action, and some time must elapse before they can secrete saliva in suffi What persons would be benefited by observing the preceding remarks? 307. Why should food be well masticated? What is the effect of "bolting down" food? 308. How should mastication be performed? Why? cient quantities to moisten it. If the aliment is not supplied with saliva, digestion is retarded; besides, in rapid eating, more food is generally consumed than the system demands, or can be easily digested. Laborers, as well as men of leisure, should have ample time for taking their meals. Imperfect mastication is a prevailing cause of indigestion. 309. Food should be masticated and swallowed without drink. As the salivary glands supply fluid to moisten the dry food, the use of tea, coffee, water, or any other fluid, is not demanded by nature's laws while taking a meal. One objection to "washing down" the food with drink is, the aliment is moistened, not with the saliva, but with the drink. This tends to induce disease, not only in the salivary organs, by leaving them in a state of comparative inactivity, but in the stomach, by the deficiency of the salivary stimulus. Another is, large quantities of fluids, used as drinks, give undue distention to the stomach, and lessen the energy of the gastric juice by its dilution, thus retarding digestion. Again, drinks taken into the stomach must be removed by absorption before the digestion of other articles is commenced. Observation. Were it customary not to place drinks on the table until the solid food is eaten, the evil arising from drinking too much at meals would be obviated. The horse is never known to leave his provender, nor the ox his blade of grass, to wash it down; but many persons, from habit rather than thirst, drink largely during meals. 310. The peculiar sensation in the mouth and fauces, called thirst, may not always arise from the demand for fluids to increase the serum (water) of the blood, as in the desire for drink attendant on free perspiration, for then, pure water or some diluent drink is absolutely necessary; but it may be the Why should all persons have ample time for eating? 309. Why are drinks not necessary while masticating food? Give the objections to "washing down" food. What observation relative to drink? 310. Does the sensation of thirst always arise from a real want of the system? result of fever, or local disease of the parts connected with the throat. In many instances, thirst may be allayed by chew. ing some hard substance, as a dry cracker. This excites a secretion from the salivary glands, which removes the disa greeable sensation. In thirst, attendant on a heated condition of the system, this practice affords relief, and is safe; while the practice of drinking large quantities of cold fluids, is unsafe, and should never be indulged. 311. Food or drink should not be taken when very hot. When food or drink is taken hot, the vessels of the mucous membrane of the gums, mouth, and stomach are unduly stim ulated for a short time; and this is followed by reaction, attended by a loss of tone, and debility of these parts. This practice is a fruitful cause of spongy gums, decayed teeth, sore mouth, and indigestion. 312. Food or drink should not be taken very cold. If a considerable quantity of very cold food or liquid be taken immediately into the stomach, the health will be endangered, and the tone, of the system will be impaired, from the sudden abstraction of heat from the coats of the stomach, and from surrounding organs, to impart warmth to the cold food or drink. This arrests the digestive process, and the food is retained in the stomach too long, and causes oppression and irritation. Consequently, food and drink that are moderately heated are best adapted to the natural condition of the digestive apparatus. Observation. Food of an injurious quality, or taken in an improper manner, affects the inferior animals as well as man. The teeth of cows that are closely penned in cities, and are fed on distillery slops, or the unhealthy slops and remnants of kitchens, decay and fall out in about two years. Can the milk of such diseased animals be healthy-the proper nour ishment for children? Give instances when it does and when it does not. 311. Why should not food or drink be taken hot? 312. Why should they not be taken cold? Show some of the effects of improper food upon the inferior animals. |