The argument in favor of two meals a day has been that the digestive system is inactive during sleep, and, therefore, it is not ready for a meal on arising. Pawlow’s experiments, however, show that digestion continues during sleep, though less actively; and it must be borne in mind that the average evening meal is eaten about six o’clock and that there are about four waking hours between this meal and the sleep period; also, that the average individual is awake and moderately active an hour before the morning meal. This gives five waking hours between the evening and the morning meal. About the same time, five hours, elapses between the morning and the midday meal, and between the midday and the evening meal, so that three meals a day divide the digestion periods about evenly. If the amount of food supplied by two meals seems to be sufficient for the needs of the individual, and it is not practical to eat at the hours stated, then omit the midday meal. In the strain of business life, returning at once to work, after the eating of a heavy meal in the middle of the day, calls all of the surplus blood to the brain; this, in many cases, results disastrously. For this reason, the taking of the heavy meal at night, when the system may relax and time be given to proper digestion, has come to be an institution of city life. More frequent meals, served in lighter quantity with greater regularity, so that the system is not overloaded at any one meal, is rational for delicate or undernourished nerves and tissues. The reason invalids or those whose digestive organs are delicate should have the heaviest meal at midday, is because the vigor of the system is greater at this time than later in the day; the increased temperature in fever in the late afternoon retards assimilation. Those whose digestive organs are delicate should not be confined to three meals a day if less food taken oftener is better borne and assimilated, but the meals should be at regular times. * * * * * [Sidenote: Effect of Exercise and Breathing on Digestion] Food is stored in the muscles for immediate use when needed. If all of the food supplied to the muscles is not used for their daily needs, an excess accumulates unless the muscles are exercised sufficiently to use up the supply. A constant accumulation results in obesity. This condition, by overlaying the organs with fat, compresses them and hampers their activity. If the accumulation continues it ultimately causes a degeneration of the tissues. Apoplexy occurs in those carrying an excess of fat due to a weakening of the walls of the arteries of the brain.