STUDY— PHYSIOLOGICALLY CONSIDERED. 643 



pneumogastrics — two nerves arising from the lower portion of the 

 brain, near the base. Now, the thinking portion of the brain being 

 situated on the convex surface, deep and perplexing thought robs 

 the roots of the pneumogastric nerves of their circulation, and in this 

 way depresses their influence. Lacking the proper nervous stimulus, 

 the digestive juices become scanty in amount ; peristalsis is enfeebled; 

 the liver — that refinery where the crude products of digestion are 

 purified and elaborated — loses tone, and allows the peptones to pass 

 unchanged into the general circulation, giving rise to much discomfort 

 and mental depression. Thus are laid the foundations of dyspepsia, 

 that common complaint of students ; and in the higher institutions of 

 learning, where the course is diflScult and protracted, many, after 

 graduation, retui'n home invalids — often only to die. 



The products of digestion are taken up by two different sets of 

 vessels. The fatty matters, in the form of an emulsion, go almost 

 directly to the right side of the heart ; while the others, before enter- 

 ing the general circulation, pass through the liver. A portion of the 

 refuse is excreted here ; the rest, remaining in solution in the blood, is 

 carried to other organs to be gradually eliminated. So that, during 

 digestion, the blood is not only charged with impurities from the ali- 

 mentary canal, but also with newly or imperfectly formed material. 



The brain, then, being deprived of its full blood-supply, and the 

 blood itself being impure and impoverished, it may at once be seen 

 that the mind is not very active after dinner, and by no means fitted 

 for severe study. Hence the lighter subjects — reading, geography, 

 history, writing, drawing, music — should occupy the afternoon session, 

 as these subjects involve chiefly the imitative faculty and the memory. 

 Of these, reading and music — the lightest of all — should precede ; dic- 

 tation and geography may follow. When the programme includes an 

 afternoon recess, history may follow with advantage. The most ap- 

 propriate time for writing and drawing is from half -past three to four. 

 The muscles of the hand are steady, the pupils are fatigued mentally, 

 and the imitative faculty — the lowest in the scale — is the only one 

 called into play. 



Two o'clock may be set down as the most judicious time for the 

 opening of the afternoon session. Half-past one is not quite so good, 

 but will answer very well. To begin at one is a positive detriment. 

 The pupils hurry home, snatch a hasty dinner, and as hurriedly return. 

 Those who dwell at some distance are often late. Some are obliged 

 to attend to household duties, and this also occasions tardiness. Sun- 

 light is cheap and plenty, and the half -hour gained would be more 

 useful if taken at the end of the session. Indeed, two hours' steady 

 work will exhaust the majority of children, and will leave all seriously 

 disinclined to exertion. "When school assembles at two, and is dis- 

 missed at four, no recess is necessary, if the plan here indicated is fol- 

 lowed, for the work is much lighter than during the morning session. 



