SHEA ASPECTS OP MENTAL ECONOMY. 135 



A reform in respect of the hours for gaining nutrition is as- 

 suredly needed in our community. It would seem as if the 

 majority of those who make a business of boarding students 

 make no business of it at all. If they were engaged in any 

 other calling they would be obliged to minister to the well-being 

 pf those whom they served ; but not so with most of the land- 

 lords and landladies who care for students. So many people 

 seem to harbor the opinion that a student's welfare does not 

 need special consideration anyway ; it is an easy thing to study 

 and the question of special food and appropriate times for eat- 

 ing is of little importance. But we need to have present prac- 

 tices modified so that students will at midday have a light 

 luncheon of very digestible and nutritious foods j then at half 

 past five or thereabouts should come a more substantial meal, 

 perhaps the principal one of the day. It should be said in 

 this connection that the last repast ought not to be eaten much 

 later than this, since it is important that the digestion of this 

 meal should be completed before bedtime. The stomach is not 

 active during sleep, and foods remaining therein during the 

 night are certain in most instances to pass through fermentative 

 processes, seriously disturbing the normal functioning of the 

 digestive system. Hardly any one can discuss a late banquet 

 without his tongue the next morning revealing his dissipation ; 

 the germs which have been prospering during the night have 

 installed themselves in every part of the mucous membrane 

 which is accessible to them. 



At Columbia University most of the students partake at mid- 

 day of a simple luncheon of milk and bread, and perhaps a 

 sandwich, obtained at the University refreshment stand; and 

 after an hour's social chat, go back to their work in the library 

 and laboratories. This seems a much more rational way than 

 ,to rush headlong home to a big dinner and rush back in the 

 same manner to recitations and other work, or escape to one's 

 room to doze away two or three profitless hours. This gives 

 one both a bad stomach and a bad conscience, and results eventu- 

 ally in an empty head. May we not hope that some day there 



