49
distress in the stomach. Distress in the stomach Is
generally due to presence of irritating fluids. The
irritant may be either hydrochloric acid (when it Is
in excess of the normal) or organic acids formed as
a result of feimentation of the undigested or partly
digested food '*
In mo si. ca^es, a complete emptying of the
stonoach raay net be necessary, nor even desirable.
It is the last portion coming out of the stomach
which irritates the throat most. When relief can be
obtained by partial vomiting/ why should one
unnecessarily Irritate one's throat. The major
portion of irritating liquids will come off in the
beginning; the solids will be last to come out,
But for relieving distress it is enough If a greater
part of the irritating fluids are removed. The solids
which remain will, ordinarily, be digested easily
afterwards.
* Fermenl-ation starts in the stomach only under very
abnormal conditions, when the food stays too long in the
stomach. Such a condition will be produced when
(1) Starch and protein foo^s are mixed,
(2) Food is eaten before the stomach is not empty, that is,
whon the previous meal has not yet passed out of the
stomach, or
(3) Snacks are' eaten in-between meals.
The reeson is simple enough. Firstly the presence of too
much of starch along with protein will interfere with protien
digestion in tha stomach, in tho stomach, starch is not digested,
and if it is present by itself, it will pass off very quickly from the
stomach But if protein is present along with, the starch also
has to stay in the stomach for an unduly lone; time. Hence there
may be fermentation. Again, when anything is eaten when the
stomach contains partly digested food—food which has already
stayed in the stomacti for a few hours—the digestion cf both will
be disturbed; a good part » f the partly digested food also will
have to stay in the stomach till the newly eaten food is digested.
The net result is that the food which was 3aten first stays in the
stomach for over 12 hours Naturally there is fermentation*
If one avoids eating when tha stomach is not empty ninety
percent uf the causes of fermentation wiV! bo p