Like all natural processes, the partaking of food, if done in a correct manner, affords the body pleasure and satisfaction. For this purpose, however, the organism must be prepared by previous work and subsequent rest. Already in the Bible the following statement is found: " In the sweat of thy brow shalt thou eat bread." This shows the importance of work on eating. A similar proverb exists in the German language, "Arbeit macht das Leben suss" (Work sweetens life), which sentence naturally refers not only to eating, but to all functions of life. Granted, however, that work is necessary, yet it must not be in excess or lead to exhaustion, as in this condition the appetite usually disappears and digestion becomes sluggish.

Meals are best taken during those periods when the body is at rest. The time for taking food must not be too short. During the meal it is better not to think of business, or serious or perhaps even sad things. Our whole and undivided attention should be given to our meals. Pleasant company, light conversation, jokes, and stories add to the enjoyment of food.

It is generally known what a powerful influence the brain exerts over our digestive faculties. Great grief robs us of our appetite and may cause real disturbances of digestion. Pawlow has lately'established the physiological importance of the mental state on digestion, having shown, for instance, that delicacies produce secretion of gastric juice as soon as they are perceived by the eye, even before they are eaten.

The food must not only be palatable, but must be served in an attractive manner (fine dishes, table decorations, etc.).

In eating we must take time to chew our food thoroughly. This serves a double purpose: (1) through the act of mastication the coarser particles of food are broken up; (2) more saliva is secreted and is thoroughly mixed with the food. The digestion of starch is thus materially aided, and the proteids are made more easily accessible to the action of the gastric juice.

Water should accompany each meal. It increases the appetite and the enjoyment of food. It also serves a useful purpose when substances are taken into the mouth or even swallowed too hot. A mouthful of cold water will at once lower the temperature and obviate any danger of burning.

After eating we should rest a little while before returning to our work.

Tachyphagia, or hasty eating, is a common evil. The food is only half masticated, or not at all, and enters the stomach without being properly insalivated and comminuted. It is easily seen that thus the foundation for many a stomach or bowel ailment is laid. The coarse food causes too much irritation to the gastric mucous membrane, and it is not sufficiently acted upon by the gastric juice, which usually only affects the external surface, leaving the rest unchanged. This refers particularly to the digestion of albuminoids. Starch, however, under these conditions is also left without any alteration, because the ptyalin of the saliva is not present in sufficient quantity. The chyme, therefore, reaches the bowel practically unchanged, causing here almost a state of irritation. Besides the mechanical effect, however, tachyphagia has other drawbacks, because it encourages the taking of large quantities of food in too short a time, and the consumption of foods too hot or too cold. In eating correctly a prdeovision is ma that not too much food passes into the stomach at once, for mastication requires time; besides there is some time spent in conversation and in serving the different courses. The temperature of food and drink is partially equalized by the slow passage through the mouth and oesophagus. All these factors are absent in eating too rapidly, and we thus have the two obnoxious points spoken of above, viz., unsuitable quantity of food and unsuitable temperature - two conditions that often cause digestive disturb-Clinically the disadvantages of tachyphagia are so well known that it does not seem necessary to illustrate them by means of examples. Every physician has observed cases of gastric and intestinal catarrh, hyperchlor-hydria, and other tedious digestive disturbances, the etiological factors of which could be found in the existing tachyphagia.