hausted or even tired, no complete digestion is possible, and
particularly is this true if the exercise has involved excessive
perspiration. So in hot weather, a heavy meal should not be eaten until
after a half hour's rest and after copious water drinking to compensate
for that loss of perspiration.

Studies on the digestion of foods and on other matters pertaining
thereto have shown that the smell of food, or the mere suggestion of
food, stimulates the organs for the production of the digestive juices.
It is directly and literally correct, therefore, to say that one's mouth
waters for this or that food because the thought or anticipation of the
food, if pleasant, will actually cause the saliva to form and flow in
the mouth. This is true of the other digestive juices as well, so that
an appetizing fritter, for instance, showing the rich, brown crust will
stir up the bile, and when the fried cake reaches the opening into the
intestine, the bile will be there ready to act. This has been
demonstrated by putting into the stomach of sleeping dogs various kinds
of foods and finding that no digestive juices whatever were produced,
although with the dog awake and seeing the food before eating, the
juices began to flow in the usual fashion.

It follows, then, that the enjoyment of food is quite as important as
any other digestive function, and on the contrary, the eating of all
sorts of foods with no interest or attention is the best way to induce
subsequent indigestion. The fact, then, that a business man eating at a
quick-lunch counter does not get the full enjoyment and benefit from his
meal as compared with those who sit leisurely over a well-appointed
table does not result altogether from the difference in the viands, but
rather in the different attitude toward the meal. It would undoubtedly
be a great gain in every household if more attention could be given to a
cheerful intercourse at meal times--not for the better relationship
which would follow, but merely for the effect on the digestion.

After meals, violent exercise is not desirable because thereby vitality
is taken away from the muscles of the stomach and intestines and is used
up in the other muscles; but it is vigorous exercise after heavy meals
only that is condemned, since moderate exercise after ordinary meals is
not objectionable. Nor is there any evidence, unless the meal has been
excessive, that mental exercise after a meal does any harm. The amount
of me