72 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN. 



rienoes, which are too apt to represent to them normal condi- 

 tions, however far they may be from this. It was expected, 

 though, that the data here would be valuable only in a general 

 way as indicating instances of important abnormal conditions 

 which interfere with the efficiency of the individual's work. 



While it was hoped to gain from the investigation some re- 

 liable estimate of the energeic aspects of student life in 

 our community, yet the primary object after all in asking 

 students to report the practices of their daily lives was (and 

 this has been already said) to direct their attention to a few 

 of these vital things in the belief that this in itself would serve 

 to correct some wasteful habits. It was thought it would 

 be of value, also, to suggest to students the necessity of intel- 

 ligently arranging their dietaries so far as they could control 

 the matter, with the purpose in view to provide the largest 

 amount of energy at the least expense, whether regarded from 

 the point of view of the effort required to transform certain 

 foods into nervous force, or of the apparently more practical 

 aspect of the financial outlay. This expectation has been real- 

 ized in a measure at least, since there has come to the writer 

 trustworthy evidence that the questionings of students in re- 

 gard to the articles of food and cooking has resulted in some 

 improvement in both directions. It was believed, finally, that 

 this would be a good way in which to prepare the minds of stu- 

 dents for the discussion of the subject of mental economy, which 

 is the raison d'etre of this bulletin. 



The labor of collating the returns was so great that it was 

 found impossible to examine but 316 papers. 1 Care was taken, 

 however, to select those which represented customs and prac- 

 tices in the different phases of university life, and it is doubt- 

 ful if there would have been any special advantage in the exam- 

 ination of a much larger number; the conclusions regarding 

 local manners and methods would probably not have been mate- 

 rially altered therebv 



J The statistical part of the work was done under my direction by Mr. F. J. 

 Wojta. 



I 



