The Portland daily press., 1878-08-02
FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 2.

shower. Science has kindly warned us of the
death that turks in the cotfee-cup. The cup
That blesses the breakfast table impairs the d.
gestion. Large doses of it produce palpitaton
of the heart. 1t is adulterated with Venetian
red and native sesquoxde of iron. 1t has also
warned us against the use of warm tea, bread
and butter, meat, vegetables, fruit, roots, ber-
RES, milk and similar articles OF food. Slngu-
tea.
But it will not do TO permit people to enjoy
This cool, delightful beverage, simply because
its taste is grateful to the wesried system dur
ing this scorchiDg weather. We must do oar
duty, though science may shrink from it, and
the people may cry out against us. There is
danger in iced tea, and, II you would live long
and well, shun the cooling cup. We have not
the space to devote to an extended discussion of
this matter, and can only cite few instances
from long series of carefully made expert
ments, which cannot fail to carry conviction to
the most credulous mind.
On June 10 of this year, John G. Hampstead
OF West Hill, began to drink iced tea at din
ner and supper He kept up this practice for
nearly three weeks, and then one day, going
down the Division street steps he slipped and
fell, abrading the skin on both legs, and rum
ming silver into the ball of his thumb so far
that it made his teeth ache when he pulled it
ont. His clothing was also considerably torn
When he went home that evening he learned
that his eldest boy had been whipped at school
for sticking pin as far through another boy
as the head would let it go. He was warned to
quit drinking iced tea, but he persisted in the
practice, and he is now sleeping in the valley,
between West and North Hill, where he lives,
and says he never felt SO we'll in his life, but
may be he lies about it.
Henry Esterfeldt, of Eighth street. drank
iced tea regularly every summer for three
years. He noticed that after drinking it
run over at the heel He persisted, and
one Sunday afternoon while he was out
driving his horse ran away and smashed $17
out OF borrowed buggy. He paid the money
but neglected the warning. He went on drink
ing iced tea, and in less than six weeks some
body poisoned his dog. These statements can
all be verified by writing to Mr.. Esterfeldt, who
is now living in Kansas City, the father of elev-
en- children, all of whom inherit their fathers
vice.
A young woman who did plain sewing in
this city, while employed in the family of Ralph
Henderson of Maple street, became addicted
during the sum mer to the use of iced tea. She
soon ran sewing machine needle through her
thumb, and for many days, whenever she
picked up cup OF iced tea. sharp pain ran
through her thumb. She refused to obey the
warning however, and in six weeks she was
carried away. The man who carried her away
married her first, and they are now living in
Sagetuwn.
Last week, at the beginning of the heated
term, two eminent scientific gentlemen of Bur-
lington took strong, healthy black-and-tan
dog and immersed him in tub of pure cistern
water, into which weak solution of iced tea
had been poured. They held the dogs head
under the water fifteen minutes, although he
struggled violently, thus showing the natural
and instructive aversion to substance which
intelligent human beings blindly and eagerly
drink. and when the gentlemen took him out
of the tub be was quite dead. If teacupful
of weak iced tea in tubful of water, will kill
dog, think for yourselves what must be the
effect OF strong, undiluted cup of this decoc-
tion upon the system of weak woman.
Last summer lumber.puller in the employ
OF +: I. Parsons & Co., of this city, declared
that he could live on iced tea Before he had
time to go up to his boarding house, however,
he fell off the raft upon which he was at work,
and drowned.
A single drop OF iced tea poured upon the
tongue OF q living rattlesnake will produce the
most startling effect, instantly causing the man
who administers it to fly for his life, and his
lie will be in imminent danger unless he dis
tances the snake before the first rum
Eleven grains of strychnine, mixed in a table
spoonful of iced tea will kill the oldest man in
America.
These instances and facts might be multi
piled by scores. We have said enough, however
to warn every person of the danger sthat lies in
the tempting goblet of iced tea.