Hammerstein, Text-book of Physiological Chemistry.
Amylopsin is absent from the pancreatic juice of infants, a condition which shows that milk and not starch is their natural food.
The fact that butter is more easily digested than other fatty substances is probably due to its consisting largely of a kind of fat which, on splitting, forms a fatty acid (butyric) which is soluble in water.
Fischer, Physiology of Alimentation.
Beginning the meal with a little soup, as is frequently done, may be of slight advantage in stimulating the digestive glands. To serve this purpose, however, and not interfere with the meal proper, it should contain little greasy or starchy material and should be taken in small amount.
Dr. William Beaumont, an American surgeon of the last century, made a series of observations upon a human stomach (that of Alexis St. Martin) having an artificial opening, the result of a gunshot wound. Much of our knowledge of the digestion of different foods was obtained through these observations. In spite of the protests of his physician, St. Martin would occasionally indulge in strong drink and always with the same result—the lining of the stomach became much inflamed and very sensitive, and the natural processes of digestion were temporarily suspended.
The lacteals (from the Latin lacteus, milky) are so called on account of their appearance, which is white, or milk-like, due to the fat droplets.
Peptones and proteoses, when injected directly into the blood, are found to act as poisons.
The soluble double sugars (maltose, milk sugar, and cane sugar) are reduced to the simple sugars (dextrose and levulose). Furthermore the action on the proteids does not stop with the production of peptones and proteoses, but these in turn are still further reduced.
Energy, which is defined as the ability to do work, or to cause motion, exists in two general types, or forms, known as kinetic energy and as potential energy. Kinetic energy is energy at work, or energy in the act of producing motion; while potential energy is reserve, or stored, energy. All moving bodies have kinetic energy, and all stationary bodies which have within them the capability of causing motion possess potential energy. A bent bow, a piece of stretched rubber, a suspended weight, the water above a mill dam, all have the capability of causing motion and all have potential energy. Examples of kinetic energy are found in the movements of machinery, in steam and electricity, in winds, and in currents of water. Kinetic is the active, and potential the inactive, form of energy.