AND PHYSIOLOGY. 



185 



must labor till the process is accomplished, and as a result, 

 dreams or imperfect trains of thought will produce that kind 

 of sleep which cannot refresh the body. If again the time 

 for meals precede or follow very closely upon hard labor, a 

 law of nature is broken, and the penalty is sure to follow. 

 The nervous energy cannot be immediately called off from 

 the part to which it has for some time been directed (whether 

 to the brain or the muscles), and consequently the stomach 

 for a while must lie nearly inactive. Hence a short season 

 of relaxation from all active exercise, whether mental or 

 physical, just before and after meals, is very conducive to 

 health, since in the former case the circulation is equalized, 

 and the brain can prepare its energies to expend them on the 

 stomach, while after meals the whole force of the nervous in- 

 fluence is needed for a time by the digestive function before it 

 can be directed to the muscles for exercise. Even a short 

 time after dinner devoted to a nap promotes digestion quite 

 rapidly, although the habit often is an inconvenient one, to 

 say the least, since if by unavoidable circumstances it is omit- 

 ted for once, the person feels uncomfortable the rest of the 

 day. 



338. Danger of employing Stimulants for weak Stom- 

 achs. — 7. We see the error and danger of a very common 

 practice : that when the digestive organs become weak, and 

 the appetite is poor, stimulants are employed to waken the 

 stomach to crave more food than it can digest. This only 

 aggravates the difficulty and makes a demand for stronger 

 stimulants, and thus often is the system prematurely worn 

 out. Whereas, would men follow nature and when a dimin- 

 ished appetite teaches them to eat less and give the organs an 

 opportunity to rest, they would ere long rally and digest all 

 that is necessary to give tone and energy to the system. To 



Why should not hard labor and a full meal come closely together ? How does a short 

 nap after dinner affect digestion ? What is a serious objection to the habit? 338. What 

 danger results from usins: stimulants to help weak stomachs ? Should we eat more than 

 the natural appetite craves ? 



