SECTIONAL TRANSACTIONS.— I. 401 



On the other hand, in the old and feeble, where the powers of adaptation 

 are inadequate, repeated atmospheric variations have an adverse effect. 



General Discussion (12.30). 



Tuesday, September 15. 



Discussion on The strain of modern civilization (10.0). 



Rt. Hon. Lord Horder, K.C.V.O. (see page 464). 



Dr. R. D. Gillespie. — Modern civilization in its relation to nervous 

 and mental breakdown (10.30). 



Dr. E. P. Poulton. — The strain of modern civilization (11.0). 



There are two opposing factors in the strain of modern civilization. 

 The first factor, which increases the strain, is the rise in the standard of 

 living. The second factor, which should diminish it, is that the luxuries as 

 well as the necessities of life are requiring fewer people and shorter hours 

 for their manufacture, so that there is more spare time available. The 

 fault lies in (1) failure of distribution, (2) defective education, so that those 

 who have the spare time are often unable to-profit from it. 



The medical or medico-sociological aspects of the strain of modern 

 civilization cover an enormous field. I shall confine my remarks to certain 

 general effects that concern us all. 



In England and Wales the last time ' the net reproductive rate ' was 

 above 1 was in 1925 ; but the rate has been reckoned in 1933 as not much 

 above 0-75 (Enid Charles). The average family must contain 3-1 children 

 of both sexes to make a stationary population. The strain of modern 

 civilization with the inducements towards an even more luxurious standard 

 of living among the middle classes must be held responsible for this falling 

 population. 



Diet of growing children. — The children of the poorer classes are shorter 

 than those who are better off ; and yet, when we examine the relation of the 

 height and weight, which is the index of general nutrition, we find that it is 

 the same for all classes. Now the converse has been found in the case of 

 horses which have been insufficiently fed (Brody). 



In adults the tendency is to overfeed. We are far from believing that 

 every obese person has merely taken more than is warranted for by his 

 appetite ; but all these obese people have taken more food than their bodies 

 have been able to deal with by combustion. The associated increased 

 metabolism means that more work is thrown on the circulation and obesity 

 is a well-known predisposing cause of diabetes and possibly diseases. 

 Standards of normal weight must be considered. Most people tend to put 

 on weight as they become middle-aged. Is this physiological, or should a 

 man of fifty preserve his youthful weight and figure ? 



Tobacco and alcohol are also considered ; the effect of the latter is 

 particularly important in motor driving in view of increased reaction time 

 after quite small doses. The amount of a beverage that is usually taken, 

 e.g. a glass of cider, beer, sherry, etc., contains roughly the same volume of 

 alcohol (10-20 c.c). The variability of the content of alcohol in a cocktail 

 is its disadvantage. 



