The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-05-16

dividuals such as Hitler and Mus
solini on the determination Of his
tory. They are inclined to credit
other forces with the changes in
empires, the origin Of wars. the
migration Of peoples.
1t is not difficult to find illus
trations Of the fact that a nation
or culture can develop only when
or where a sufficient supply or
surplus Of food becomes available.
There was never a great outburst
Of art and literature-at least q
systematic outburst-in a starving
country. Leisure is necessary to
develop the arts. and for leisure a
good food supply is necessary.
Fate Sealed by Banquets
At the same time, il culinary art
is the only one which is develop
ing in a country, it may lead TO
quite as serious consequences as
il there were no food at all. Thus
we find Psychologists stating that
the Roman banquets probably
sealed the fate of the Roman
Empire, and in our own day the
French cuisine, the French food
and wine may have been factors
in the fall of France. In short, too
much food and too much catering
to the appetite can ruin an empire
just as surely as they ruin an in
dividual.
AS a corollary to this, I find
some curious comment made by
DR.. Frederick Hoelzel of the De-
partment Of Physiology, Univer-
sity of Chicago. He thinks that
two cultures which have enjoyed
the longest continuous history
without serious interruption, such
as the cultures of India and China,
depended partially at least on a
relatively steady state OF balance
between the supply and the use
of food.
In World War I German resist
ance cracked partly because Of
undernourishment due to the food
blockade. and shortly after that
Russia came close TO complete col
lapse because of famine conditions
in that country.
Effect of Starvation Periods
DR.. Hoelzel's most curious and
stimulating suggestion concerns
the effect of starvation periods on
mental and physical vigor after
the starvation period is over. He
has had personal experience Of
600 days of fasting during the
past 80 years and he believes that
the most striking after-effects of
fasting or food restriction occur
between. the ages of about 20 and
35. He believes that this would
possibly mean that the great vigor
of the German and Russian mill
tary campaigns would manifest
itself in those of about 40 to so
years of age and therefore men
now in active control-men who
had the experience of starvation
or semi-starvation in the days Of
World War I.
1t is true that every Psychologist
who has ever observed starvation
has found a great manifestation
of physical and mental vigor when
re-alimentation occurs after peri
DDS Of fasting and food restrie-
ton. However, it seems doubtful
TO me that these effects would be-
gin to manifest themselves 20
years after the starvation period,
and suspect that the maintenance
of the even level Of American nu-
triton for the last 10 years will
result in just as much military
vigor as that manifested by the
Russian and German armies.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
P. r. WI would like 10 ask
your opinion on the subject of
bathing during pregnancy. Should
one battle regularly during the en-
tire confinement?
Answer: Yes. The skin performs
important functions Of excretion
during pregnancy and should be
kept clean in order to make it ef-
fcient. Toward the end of the term
a sponge BATH is all that is neces-
sary.