Il était une fois... la vie (1987–1988): Season 1, Episode 15 - La digestion - full transcript
[lively music playing]
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
♪ Sing a song of life ♪
♪ Every heartbeat's a miracle ♪
♪ Feel the rhythm growing ♪
♪ Day by day as we go ♪
♪ Look inside, your body is humming ♪
♪ With a million drums that are drumming ♪
♪ Fill your lungs, get ready ♪
♪ Celebrating the joy
That's life ♪
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
[light music playing]
[Peter Jr.] Mom! Mom! [panting]
Is lunch ready?
[mom] I will be there in a jiffy, Peter.
[narrator] The human body gets energy
in the nicest way:
from delicious meals like this.
But a meal is only raw material.
The body has to extract the energy
from the foodstuffs by digesting them.
When we chew our food,
it is the first step
in the long process of digestion:
a process which transforms
matter into energy.
[cheerful music playing]
The food is about to travel down
the esophagus:
the tube that leads to the stomach.
Meanwhile, in the nucleus
of a nearby nerve cell...
-[chief snoring]
-[brown beard] Chief! Chief!
The message is on its way!
Huh? You lot are asleep on your feet.
Can't you see that some food
is on its way down already?
Send out an immediate order
to the muscles
in the wall of the esophagus.
Let’s get them moving.
Immediate orders for the muscles
in the wall of the esophagus!
[beeping]
-[speedies] Bye!
-[bright music playing]
-[muscle yawns]
[Speedy] Well, it's about time
you lazy louts got down to some work,
isn't it?
[chief] Come on, you loafers,
I need you wide awake for this!
Now! One, two, one, two, one, two...
One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two...
[laughing]
[sheep bleating]
[pigs grunting]
[shouts]
[grunting and groaning]
[crying, laughing, chattering, cheering]
Ten kilojoules fat,
five kilojoules protein,
five kilojoules starch. Very nice.
There is some sugar. Plenty of it too.
-[muttering]
-[light, feel-good music playing]
There's some more fat,
a few units of vitamin D.
That's good. Huh? [stutters]
You can let that lot through, it's fine.
But there's no need to rush.
We don't want a blockage.
It is bad enough,
the way these children bolt their food.
-Clear the way to the stomach.
-Hm-mm.
Bye!
[gulping]
[Jumbo Jr. belches] Oh, pardon me!
[lively music playing]
[narrator] The stomach,
with its gastric juices,
is like a processing factory,
where all the jumbled elements of the food
are separated and classified.
Fat, fiber, minerals, vitamins,
starches, sugars, proteins:
all the ingredients of Jumbo's lunch
are broken down
and dissolved in the gastric juices.
[assistant1 ] The food is arriving.
When digestion begins
we’re going to need a lot more juice.
[assistant 2] We'd better increase
the rate of flow immediately.
[Speedy] Hello. Bye.
And now we're going to need
all the gastric enzymes, I think.
[assistant 2] Calling all gastric enzymes!
Calling all gastric enzymes!
Report for duty immediately.
[shocked gasps]
[silly noises]
[Globine] Where are they headed,
Professor?
[Globus] They're off to the stomach,
my child, in the very devil of a hurry,
because they're needed.
When duty calls, those enzymes
drop everything and scramble.
[gasps and shrieks]
[Hemo] Let them get on
with their digestion by all means,
but they could show us some consideration!
Our oxygen is precious,
it's an imported commodity, after all.
[gasps]
[Hemo] Whoa!
Hormones! Small, but fast-acting.
Their calling in life is to chivvy
at the gastric enzymes
along when they need it.
[Globus] Look over there!
[grunts]
[giggling]
[grunts and groans]
[giggling]
[chuckling]
[giggling]
[giggling]
[giggling]
[groaning]
[Rennin] Pepsin milk is my specialty,
you're supposed to process protein.
I thought you knew that, dear.
Come on, let me take that off your hands.
[Pepsin] How silly of me! There!
[narrator] The hard-working enzymes
take a break from their digestive tasks.
But it's not long
before they are inundated again,
and toil
to get on top of their work-load at last.
Peptides, amino acids
and coagulated milk:
it all seems to be in order.
[Maestro] And far too much sugar,
as usual.
Look at all the fat!
He is asking for indigestion.
[germs muttering]
[munching]
Right! Open the pyloric sphincter
and clear the way to the small intestine.
[mischievous, playful music playing]
[Speedy] Bye!
[singing and muttering]
[cop] Hey! You!
Where do you think you are going?
-[germ 1] Who, us, officer?
-[germ 2] We are E. coli bacteria.
We live in the small intestine, officer.
[germ 3] Yes, officer.
It's down in that direction.
But I think we'd best be getting
along now. So, goodbye.
[cop] They claim to be E. coli bacteria,
but they remind me of salmonella.
Wait! You bacteria! come back here.
I want to see your papers.
Now that's odd!. I could have sworn...
Well, Jumbo, you are getting stuck
into that apple pie, all right!
It is so delicious, Peter!
I will just have another tiny helping.
But you have had enough already!
I’m a growing boy with a healthy appetite.
[satisfying noises]
[gulps]
[bright music playing]
Feeding his face again!
Just look at all the fat, all the sugar.
It's disgusting.
Priority message for the gall bladder:
step up production of bile immediately
or we will never manage to digest
all this extra fat.
And you'd better let the pancreas know
that we need more enzymes,
and plenty of them,
to deal with all that sugar.
[Speedy] Ciao!
Works like a charm! Even if the stomach
did a great part of the work,
we'd be lost without that bile
from the liver to digest fats for us.
Where are those pancreatic enzymes
I ordered?
We need them to deal with
the sugar and protein.
[light, feel-good music playing]
[happy laugh]
[pilot] Lieutenant! Lieutenant!
It's swarming with bacteria!
[lieutenant] Calm down, you silly boy!
Those E. coli bacteria are on our side.
You didn't learn very much at school,
did you?
You’ll see a few million more of those
before the day's over.
-[Millicent] Oh!
-[Emeline] Oh look, Millicent, dear,
it's cellulose!
Yes, Emeline, my dear,
the skin of an apple
is tailor-made for us, isn’t it?
[voice] I see you girls
are knitting vitamins again.
And where would the body be
without the vitamins
we so obligingly manufacture?
Answer me that!
[sniffing]
[exclaims in disgust]
Huh?
[shouting]
[groans] Hm?
It's not starting again?
Oh dear,
when is he going to give us a break?
He eats just what he wants to.
Yes, and it's mostly between mealtimes,
isn't it?
[hormones] Come on, enzymes.
Hop to it! [giggles]
[singing and chattering]
[happy laugh]
-[rumbling]
-[screaming]
What's that awful rumble?
[voice] Your attention, please!
The stomach is overloaded.
Emergency evacuation of contents
is imminent.
What does he mean by that, Chief?
Evacuation of contents?
Jumbo's going to throw up.
-Shall we tune in, then?
-By all means.
[Maestro] Oh, stop it, you glutton!
Stop it!
That really is the last straw.
[moans]
[retching sounds]
-[retching sounds]
-[bright music playing]
[mom] There we are, Jumbo.
You will feel better
in a couple of minutes.
Here, drink this, my child,
it should help you.
[Maestro] It is working!
He is a lucky boy.
That's what happens when you gorge
on rich food. Understand?
Mind you, Jumbo deserves some sympathy.
That pie was delicious.
Mm-mm.
Well, that's that. Now, let's get on
with the digestive process.
Where were we? Of course!
Here, in the duodenum.
Circulation seems to be okay...
[upbeat music playing]
The Liver. How lucky he is to have
a young, strong liver that works so hard
at getting rid of undesirable substances.
But I will tell you about the liver
some other time.
The liver is miraculous!
The pancreas is a fascinating organ too.
Right! On we go.
-[Peter] It's quiet, isn't it, Maestro?
-[shocked gasp]
Yes, thank goodness!
Good morning to the pair of you.
-[Peter] No complaints then?
-The usual. Nothing to write home about.
Mind you, a quick squizz
down the small intestine
would not go a miss.
Poor Jumbo's been sick already today
and we don't want him getting diarrhea
into the bargain.
Good idea.
Right. Let's get back to work.
I want to take a much closer look
at the villi in the small intestine.
[bright music playing]
The intestine is "carpeted"
with tentacle-like villi,
which have very thin walls
and a very rich blood supply.
This is where they all leave
the digestive system
and enter the bloodstream, by squeezing
through the walls of the blood vessels.
Sugars, salts, fats, vitamins.
I am sorry, but you amine acids
aren't allowed to hitch-hike.
You're supposed to find your own way
to the liver up the hepatic portal vessel.
You can't miss it
if you go straight along there.
[laughs]
You can't get on, fatty,
and they'll have to get off again.
Fats go via the lymphatic system,
as if you didn't know!
[laughing and chattering]
[Hemo moans]
We know you hate carbon dioxide, Hemo.
Never mind, Hemo,
when you pass through the liver,
you'll come out
feeling clean and refreshed.
[Stroppy] Okay, get your heads down!
[Claire] Look at that, Captain!
[Peter] Salmonella bacteria!
They are the ones
who cause food poisoning!
Calling all antibody units!
Urgent!! Reporting the presence
of salmonella in the small intestine.
They are located in the duodenum.
Send the anti-salmonella squad.
We are also going to need
some extra macrophage support.
[gulping]
[screams]
[buzzing]
Oh no, we've been spotted!
Come on, let's get out of here!
[groaning]
[screaming and shouting]
-[Claire] Mission accomplished, Captain.
-Hold it, Lieutenant.
I think the colonel's coming through.
Situation under control, Colonel.
A few salmonella successfully infiltrated
the small intestine;
but our macrophages
made short work of them.
-[colonel] Good. Well done.
-[Peter] Thank you, sir.
[bright music playing]
[sighs]
[narrator] Young Jumbo
seems recovered from his nausea,
and from the salmonella,
which entered his system because
he didn't wash his hands before eating.
And now his inside calmly continues
with the process of digestion.
Rush hour is over.
But various bacteria lie in wait,
ready to mop up straggling dietary fibers.
[fiber] Mr. Policeman! Mr. Policeman!
Those nasty bacteria won't leave us alone!
And we do a worthwhile job too, you know,
we clear up.
[groaning]
[narrator] There's an E. coli bacterium
busy splitting protides up
into amine acids.
One of her colleagues is sniffing round
to see what she can find,
while others are busy making vitamins.
Hey, girls, don't forget the Vitamin B,
my dears, will you now?
It'll be needed for making new blood,
won't it?
And what about K?
The blood won't clot without it.
-I can never remember the pattern for B.
-Give it here and I will show you!
That's it.
[narrator] Fiber seems to be
the only surviving remnant
of Jumbo's delicious lunch.
Now we pass into the large intestine,
where the fibers are handled
quite roughly.
-[rumbling]
-[shouting]
Oh! It's squashing me flat!
I can't bear it!
[shouts]
[narrator] All this squeezing removes
the moisture from the fibers.
It is absorbed
through the walls of the intestine,
while the fibers go marching on.
-[shouts]
-[gasps]
-What's down there?
-That's the appendix, dear!
Well, what's it for?
Absolutely nothing,
apart from getting appendicitis.
[Maestro] So you see, as we come
to the tail end of the digestion process,
there are policemen, friendly bacteria,
and antibodies, all on their guard.
But why do we need so many of them, Chief?
Well, this is the end
of the digestive process,
and just supposing a few harmful germs
had got this far:
it would be an ideal place
for them to multiply.
The climate is perfect for them.
There are thousands of friendly bacteria
out there, who help us with digestion,
they give their services free.
-Oh!
-Right! Now let's get down to some work.
Okay, you guys. This is it.
Wait for my signal
and then start multiplying.
We will catch them napping. [wicked laugh]
-Ready? Set? Divide!
-[groaning]
[upbeat music playing]
[wicked laughter]
Salmonella! Police! Police!
-Why don't you answer?
-[Peter] We're on our way, Maestro.
Huh? Ah! Wonderful! You're on your...
[groans]
The sooner the better.
[light music playing]
[groaning and muttering]
[Claire] Peter,
they're spreading like wildfire.
You're right! This is an alert!
There's a large salmonella presence
in the colon.
Come in, police.
All patrolmen must report immediately.
[indistinct shouting]
[Metro] Are you with me, antibodies?
[lively music playing]
[salmonella groaning]
[Metro] Attention! This is an emergency!
Their numbers are increasing
by the minute.
We desperately need a squad
of highly trained and dedicated fighters,
equipped to deal with salmonella.
We've got them, you guys! [cackling]
But in the meantime,
just keep on multiplying. [evil laugh]
We are going to reduce
this child's digestive tract to ruins!
-[wicked laugh]
-[cheering]
[bright music playing]
[narrator] Jumbo wouldn't sleep so soundly
if he knew that an army of germs
was planning to take over his body.
If they succeed, it’s his own fault
for not washing his hands.
[grunting]
[narrator] This engagement promises to be
a major battle,
and Colonel Peter is in overall command.
They are multiplying even more rapidly.
We must attack now!
Metro, here are your orders:
attack the enemy's left flank,
with your special antibody squad.
Lieutenant Jumbo Jr.
will hit them hard in the center,
with his polynuclear brigade.
Take no prisoners.
Lieutenant Claire, I want you
to cover our right flank
-with your lymphocyte units, understood?
-Message received, Colonel!
Captain Peter, I am delegating
overall command
of this entire operation to you.
I will be counting on you.
I won't let you down, Colonel.
[pained shouting]
[spluttering and coughing]
[shouts]
Calling all friendly bacteria!
Do you read me?
Your assistance is urgently requested
to help fight off
a massive salmonella invasion.
Please come quickly!
Right you are then, sir.
[shouting]
No sign of our allies.
[sighs] Here they come at last!
There was no need to worry, Captain.
You know that we E. coli's
would never leave you in the lurch.
I know that, Chief, but there aren't
very many of you, are there?
We've got a few tricks up our sleeve,
Captain. Just you watch.
[shouting]
[gentle music playing]
Well, that’s that! You know,
in the intestines of a human being
there are millions upon millions
of bacteria,
all fighting for survival.
And some of them
are very nasty characters, indeed.
[shocked gasps]
But the helpful bacteria
tend to keep the bad ones in check.
When the useful ones have got
the upper hand, which is usually the case,
then all’s well!
The useful organisms win because
they are in partnership with the body.
It shelters them, and they protect it.
[narrator] And so our story
of digestion is over.
And the last step
is the elimination of waste products.
[lively music playing]
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
♪ Sing a song of life ♪
♪ Every heartbeat's a miracle ♪
♪ Feel the rhythm growing ♪
♪ Day by day as we go ♪
♪ Look inside, your body is humming ♪
♪ With a million drums that are drumming ♪
♪ Fill your lungs, get ready ♪
♪ Celebrating the joy
That's life ♪
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
♪ Is life, is life, that's life ♪
[light music playing]
[Peter Jr.] Mom! Mom! [panting]
Is lunch ready?
[mom] I will be there in a jiffy, Peter.
[narrator] The human body gets energy
in the nicest way:
from delicious meals like this.
But a meal is only raw material.
The body has to extract the energy
from the foodstuffs by digesting them.
When we chew our food,
it is the first step
in the long process of digestion:
a process which transforms
matter into energy.
[cheerful music playing]
The food is about to travel down
the esophagus:
the tube that leads to the stomach.
Meanwhile, in the nucleus
of a nearby nerve cell...
-[chief snoring]
-[brown beard] Chief! Chief!
The message is on its way!
Huh? You lot are asleep on your feet.
Can't you see that some food
is on its way down already?
Send out an immediate order
to the muscles
in the wall of the esophagus.
Let’s get them moving.
Immediate orders for the muscles
in the wall of the esophagus!
[beeping]
-[speedies] Bye!
-[bright music playing]
-[muscle yawns]
[Speedy] Well, it's about time
you lazy louts got down to some work,
isn't it?
[chief] Come on, you loafers,
I need you wide awake for this!
Now! One, two, one, two, one, two...
One, two, one, two, one, two, one, two...
[laughing]
[sheep bleating]
[pigs grunting]
[shouts]
[grunting and groaning]
[crying, laughing, chattering, cheering]
Ten kilojoules fat,
five kilojoules protein,
five kilojoules starch. Very nice.
There is some sugar. Plenty of it too.
-[muttering]
-[light, feel-good music playing]
There's some more fat,
a few units of vitamin D.
That's good. Huh? [stutters]
You can let that lot through, it's fine.
But there's no need to rush.
We don't want a blockage.
It is bad enough,
the way these children bolt their food.
-Clear the way to the stomach.
-Hm-mm.
Bye!
[gulping]
[Jumbo Jr. belches] Oh, pardon me!
[lively music playing]
[narrator] The stomach,
with its gastric juices,
is like a processing factory,
where all the jumbled elements of the food
are separated and classified.
Fat, fiber, minerals, vitamins,
starches, sugars, proteins:
all the ingredients of Jumbo's lunch
are broken down
and dissolved in the gastric juices.
[assistant1 ] The food is arriving.
When digestion begins
we’re going to need a lot more juice.
[assistant 2] We'd better increase
the rate of flow immediately.
[Speedy] Hello. Bye.
And now we're going to need
all the gastric enzymes, I think.
[assistant 2] Calling all gastric enzymes!
Calling all gastric enzymes!
Report for duty immediately.
[shocked gasps]
[silly noises]
[Globine] Where are they headed,
Professor?
[Globus] They're off to the stomach,
my child, in the very devil of a hurry,
because they're needed.
When duty calls, those enzymes
drop everything and scramble.
[gasps and shrieks]
[Hemo] Let them get on
with their digestion by all means,
but they could show us some consideration!
Our oxygen is precious,
it's an imported commodity, after all.
[gasps]
[Hemo] Whoa!
Hormones! Small, but fast-acting.
Their calling in life is to chivvy
at the gastric enzymes
along when they need it.
[Globus] Look over there!
[grunts]
[giggling]
[grunts and groans]
[giggling]
[chuckling]
[giggling]
[giggling]
[giggling]
[groaning]
[Rennin] Pepsin milk is my specialty,
you're supposed to process protein.
I thought you knew that, dear.
Come on, let me take that off your hands.
[Pepsin] How silly of me! There!
[narrator] The hard-working enzymes
take a break from their digestive tasks.
But it's not long
before they are inundated again,
and toil
to get on top of their work-load at last.
Peptides, amino acids
and coagulated milk:
it all seems to be in order.
[Maestro] And far too much sugar,
as usual.
Look at all the fat!
He is asking for indigestion.
[germs muttering]
[munching]
Right! Open the pyloric sphincter
and clear the way to the small intestine.
[mischievous, playful music playing]
[Speedy] Bye!
[singing and muttering]
[cop] Hey! You!
Where do you think you are going?
-[germ 1] Who, us, officer?
-[germ 2] We are E. coli bacteria.
We live in the small intestine, officer.
[germ 3] Yes, officer.
It's down in that direction.
But I think we'd best be getting
along now. So, goodbye.
[cop] They claim to be E. coli bacteria,
but they remind me of salmonella.
Wait! You bacteria! come back here.
I want to see your papers.
Now that's odd!. I could have sworn...
Well, Jumbo, you are getting stuck
into that apple pie, all right!
It is so delicious, Peter!
I will just have another tiny helping.
But you have had enough already!
I’m a growing boy with a healthy appetite.
[satisfying noises]
[gulps]
[bright music playing]
Feeding his face again!
Just look at all the fat, all the sugar.
It's disgusting.
Priority message for the gall bladder:
step up production of bile immediately
or we will never manage to digest
all this extra fat.
And you'd better let the pancreas know
that we need more enzymes,
and plenty of them,
to deal with all that sugar.
[Speedy] Ciao!
Works like a charm! Even if the stomach
did a great part of the work,
we'd be lost without that bile
from the liver to digest fats for us.
Where are those pancreatic enzymes
I ordered?
We need them to deal with
the sugar and protein.
[light, feel-good music playing]
[happy laugh]
[pilot] Lieutenant! Lieutenant!
It's swarming with bacteria!
[lieutenant] Calm down, you silly boy!
Those E. coli bacteria are on our side.
You didn't learn very much at school,
did you?
You’ll see a few million more of those
before the day's over.
-[Millicent] Oh!
-[Emeline] Oh look, Millicent, dear,
it's cellulose!
Yes, Emeline, my dear,
the skin of an apple
is tailor-made for us, isn’t it?
[voice] I see you girls
are knitting vitamins again.
And where would the body be
without the vitamins
we so obligingly manufacture?
Answer me that!
[sniffing]
[exclaims in disgust]
Huh?
[shouting]
[groans] Hm?
It's not starting again?
Oh dear,
when is he going to give us a break?
He eats just what he wants to.
Yes, and it's mostly between mealtimes,
isn't it?
[hormones] Come on, enzymes.
Hop to it! [giggles]
[singing and chattering]
[happy laugh]
-[rumbling]
-[screaming]
What's that awful rumble?
[voice] Your attention, please!
The stomach is overloaded.
Emergency evacuation of contents
is imminent.
What does he mean by that, Chief?
Evacuation of contents?
Jumbo's going to throw up.
-Shall we tune in, then?
-By all means.
[Maestro] Oh, stop it, you glutton!
Stop it!
That really is the last straw.
[moans]
[retching sounds]
-[retching sounds]
-[bright music playing]
[mom] There we are, Jumbo.
You will feel better
in a couple of minutes.
Here, drink this, my child,
it should help you.
[Maestro] It is working!
He is a lucky boy.
That's what happens when you gorge
on rich food. Understand?
Mind you, Jumbo deserves some sympathy.
That pie was delicious.
Mm-mm.
Well, that's that. Now, let's get on
with the digestive process.
Where were we? Of course!
Here, in the duodenum.
Circulation seems to be okay...
[upbeat music playing]
The Liver. How lucky he is to have
a young, strong liver that works so hard
at getting rid of undesirable substances.
But I will tell you about the liver
some other time.
The liver is miraculous!
The pancreas is a fascinating organ too.
Right! On we go.
-[Peter] It's quiet, isn't it, Maestro?
-[shocked gasp]
Yes, thank goodness!
Good morning to the pair of you.
-[Peter] No complaints then?
-The usual. Nothing to write home about.
Mind you, a quick squizz
down the small intestine
would not go a miss.
Poor Jumbo's been sick already today
and we don't want him getting diarrhea
into the bargain.
Good idea.
Right. Let's get back to work.
I want to take a much closer look
at the villi in the small intestine.
[bright music playing]
The intestine is "carpeted"
with tentacle-like villi,
which have very thin walls
and a very rich blood supply.
This is where they all leave
the digestive system
and enter the bloodstream, by squeezing
through the walls of the blood vessels.
Sugars, salts, fats, vitamins.
I am sorry, but you amine acids
aren't allowed to hitch-hike.
You're supposed to find your own way
to the liver up the hepatic portal vessel.
You can't miss it
if you go straight along there.
[laughs]
You can't get on, fatty,
and they'll have to get off again.
Fats go via the lymphatic system,
as if you didn't know!
[laughing and chattering]
[Hemo moans]
We know you hate carbon dioxide, Hemo.
Never mind, Hemo,
when you pass through the liver,
you'll come out
feeling clean and refreshed.
[Stroppy] Okay, get your heads down!
[Claire] Look at that, Captain!
[Peter] Salmonella bacteria!
They are the ones
who cause food poisoning!
Calling all antibody units!
Urgent!! Reporting the presence
of salmonella in the small intestine.
They are located in the duodenum.
Send the anti-salmonella squad.
We are also going to need
some extra macrophage support.
[gulping]
[screams]
[buzzing]
Oh no, we've been spotted!
Come on, let's get out of here!
[groaning]
[screaming and shouting]
-[Claire] Mission accomplished, Captain.
-Hold it, Lieutenant.
I think the colonel's coming through.
Situation under control, Colonel.
A few salmonella successfully infiltrated
the small intestine;
but our macrophages
made short work of them.
-[colonel] Good. Well done.
-[Peter] Thank you, sir.
[bright music playing]
[sighs]
[narrator] Young Jumbo
seems recovered from his nausea,
and from the salmonella,
which entered his system because
he didn't wash his hands before eating.
And now his inside calmly continues
with the process of digestion.
Rush hour is over.
But various bacteria lie in wait,
ready to mop up straggling dietary fibers.
[fiber] Mr. Policeman! Mr. Policeman!
Those nasty bacteria won't leave us alone!
And we do a worthwhile job too, you know,
we clear up.
[groaning]
[narrator] There's an E. coli bacterium
busy splitting protides up
into amine acids.
One of her colleagues is sniffing round
to see what she can find,
while others are busy making vitamins.
Hey, girls, don't forget the Vitamin B,
my dears, will you now?
It'll be needed for making new blood,
won't it?
And what about K?
The blood won't clot without it.
-I can never remember the pattern for B.
-Give it here and I will show you!
That's it.
[narrator] Fiber seems to be
the only surviving remnant
of Jumbo's delicious lunch.
Now we pass into the large intestine,
where the fibers are handled
quite roughly.
-[rumbling]
-[shouting]
Oh! It's squashing me flat!
I can't bear it!
[shouts]
[narrator] All this squeezing removes
the moisture from the fibers.
It is absorbed
through the walls of the intestine,
while the fibers go marching on.
-[shouts]
-[gasps]
-What's down there?
-That's the appendix, dear!
Well, what's it for?
Absolutely nothing,
apart from getting appendicitis.
[Maestro] So you see, as we come
to the tail end of the digestion process,
there are policemen, friendly bacteria,
and antibodies, all on their guard.
But why do we need so many of them, Chief?
Well, this is the end
of the digestive process,
and just supposing a few harmful germs
had got this far:
it would be an ideal place
for them to multiply.
The climate is perfect for them.
There are thousands of friendly bacteria
out there, who help us with digestion,
they give their services free.
-Oh!
-Right! Now let's get down to some work.
Okay, you guys. This is it.
Wait for my signal
and then start multiplying.
We will catch them napping. [wicked laugh]
-Ready? Set? Divide!
-[groaning]
[upbeat music playing]
[wicked laughter]
Salmonella! Police! Police!
-Why don't you answer?
-[Peter] We're on our way, Maestro.
Huh? Ah! Wonderful! You're on your...
[groans]
The sooner the better.
[light music playing]
[groaning and muttering]
[Claire] Peter,
they're spreading like wildfire.
You're right! This is an alert!
There's a large salmonella presence
in the colon.
Come in, police.
All patrolmen must report immediately.
[indistinct shouting]
[Metro] Are you with me, antibodies?
[lively music playing]
[salmonella groaning]
[Metro] Attention! This is an emergency!
Their numbers are increasing
by the minute.
We desperately need a squad
of highly trained and dedicated fighters,
equipped to deal with salmonella.
We've got them, you guys! [cackling]
But in the meantime,
just keep on multiplying. [evil laugh]
We are going to reduce
this child's digestive tract to ruins!
-[wicked laugh]
-[cheering]
[bright music playing]
[narrator] Jumbo wouldn't sleep so soundly
if he knew that an army of germs
was planning to take over his body.
If they succeed, it’s his own fault
for not washing his hands.
[grunting]
[narrator] This engagement promises to be
a major battle,
and Colonel Peter is in overall command.
They are multiplying even more rapidly.
We must attack now!
Metro, here are your orders:
attack the enemy's left flank,
with your special antibody squad.
Lieutenant Jumbo Jr.
will hit them hard in the center,
with his polynuclear brigade.
Take no prisoners.
Lieutenant Claire, I want you
to cover our right flank
-with your lymphocyte units, understood?
-Message received, Colonel!
Captain Peter, I am delegating
overall command
of this entire operation to you.
I will be counting on you.
I won't let you down, Colonel.
[pained shouting]
[spluttering and coughing]
[shouts]
Calling all friendly bacteria!
Do you read me?
Your assistance is urgently requested
to help fight off
a massive salmonella invasion.
Please come quickly!
Right you are then, sir.
[shouting]
No sign of our allies.
[sighs] Here they come at last!
There was no need to worry, Captain.
You know that we E. coli's
would never leave you in the lurch.
I know that, Chief, but there aren't
very many of you, are there?
We've got a few tricks up our sleeve,
Captain. Just you watch.
[shouting]
[gentle music playing]
Well, that’s that! You know,
in the intestines of a human being
there are millions upon millions
of bacteria,
all fighting for survival.
And some of them
are very nasty characters, indeed.
[shocked gasps]
But the helpful bacteria
tend to keep the bad ones in check.
When the useful ones have got
the upper hand, which is usually the case,
then all’s well!
The useful organisms win because
they are in partnership with the body.
It shelters them, and they protect it.
[narrator] And so our story
of digestion is over.
And the last step
is the elimination of waste products.
[lively music playing]