in the animal economy, is the dissolution of the aliment into such minute parts as are fit to enter the lacteal vessels, and circulate with the mals of blood. See ANATOMY Index.

Chemistry, is an operation which consists in exposing bodies to a gentle heat, in proper vessels, and during a certain time. This operation is very useful to favour the action of certain substances upon each other; as, for example, of well calcined, dry fixed alkali upon rectified spirit of wine. When these two substances are digested together in a matras, with a gentle fand-bath heat, the spirit of wine acquires a yellow-reddish colour, and an alkaline quality. The spirit would not so well acquire these qualities by a stronger and shorter heat.