134 BULLETIN OP THE UNIVERSITY OP WISCONSIN. 



§3. Hours for Meals. — It is well known, of course, that a 

 heavy meal makes demands upon the energies of the system 

 for a considerable period ; mind and body alike are less efficient 

 while the early stages of digestion are in progress. The pros- 

 perity of digestion itself requires muscular repose for a time; 

 and when three "square" meals are disposed of daily 

 a relatively large part of waking life must be devoted to the 

 interests of the stomach, and the head and hands must suffer 

 thereby. It would seem a much wiser scheme, and one which 

 is being adopted now in the cities especially, to get most of our 

 nutrition in two repasts ; and if we have a third, to make it 

 exceedingly light so that it will not interfere seriously with 

 either mental or physical activities. A business man in the 

 city would not think of dining at midday; he lunches simply, 

 and his luncheon really serves the purpose of a little recreation 

 rather than of gaining nutrition. 



Our students enjoy three meals a day, all of about the same 

 proportions, so far as can be judged from the bills-of-fare. It 

 is true they have at noon, with a very few exceptions, what is 

 called dinner, and this is supposed to be the principal repast 

 of the day, although it seems to be so only in the sense that per- 

 haps heavier and more indigestible viands are discussed. But 

 a large number of our students attempt their hardest work in 

 the afternoon immediately following their experience at table; 

 their study hours are in the majority of cases from 2 to half 

 past 5 ; and it is surely not an overstatement to say that no 

 brain is in good workable condition when handicapped by a 

 stomach full of such things as are indicated in the midday bills- 

 of-fare given in Chapter III. [Nearly every one of our students 

 — all except fourteen — reported that from 2 to 4 was the dull- 

 est time in the entire day. From 7 to 9 is also a period of 

 marked mental depression. One would suppose that the mind 

 would be worn out as the hour for retiring approached, and 

 that it would be most obtuse then; but only eight out of the 

 whole number of students reporting said they were dullest at 

 bedtime ; the others were stupidest after meals. 



