112 BULLETIN OF THE UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN. 



It must be apparent, then, that these beverages containing 

 alkaloids really operate in dissipating rather than in conserving 

 enera-v. Thev are doubtless of assistance to an organism that 

 needs to get rid of superfluous materials. One who does not 

 require all the energy of his food for mental or physical labor 

 may to advantage call tea and coffee to his aid to relieve his 

 system of a burden. But this is a situation which does not 

 commonly exist in student life. Students, as a body, are not 

 likely to consume more food than is required for the best effi- 

 ciency of mind and body even when the total amount of energy 

 it yields is expanded in profitable production. And then the 

 average college man or woman is illy prepared, from the finan- 

 cial point of view, to provide for the waste of food which the 

 habitual use of tea and coffee entails. It is recognized, of 

 course, that conditions may exist when tea, coffee, and similar 

 things have a therapeutic value ; but we are concerned here not 

 with the needs of the organism in disease but only in full health 

 and vigor. 



The exhilaration which follows a cup of tea or coffee is sig- 

 nificant for the psychologist as well as for the student in the 

 practical affairs of daily life. This is possibly due to a paralyz- 

 ing effect for the moment upon the inhibitory or controlling 

 mechanisms in the central nervous system which report the true 

 condition of the organism, and seek to prevent it from passing 

 the safety line in its activities. To illustrate the theory by 

 fatigue: The fatigue sense, as has been said, exerts an in- 

 hibiting influence upon activity ; the rate and strength of move- 

 ments show decrease; mind and body become relaxed, and un- 

 der normal conditions the individual tends to fall asleep in or- 

 der that there may be repair of waste. When this sense reports 

 the status of the body in fatigue there is a feeling of depres- 

 sion, of lassitude ; but if its restraining power can be overcome 

 in any way there will apparently be a return of wonted vigor. 

 But what the welfare of the system requires at this time is rest 

 and food to restore dissipated energy, not incitement to still 

 greater dissipation ; and while in certain situations it may be 



