The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-23
Coffee as q Medicine

In recent times coffee has been consid cred
not as an article of food, but partly MS n
spice and partly as q kind Of medicine.
Such tits, inasmuch as it causes like many
other spices, the stomach so secrete an in,
creased quantity of gastric Juice Digestion
only takes place when the sides of the
stomach secrete a liquid having the quality
of digesting food. Owing to this, well.to-do
people take after dinner a cup OF coffee, in
order TO promote digestion. 1t is because
at night the power of digesting is very
much enfeebled-hence the bud sleep after
one has eaten something difficult to
digest, and because the stomach is
relaxed and inactive, that Gun
Of coffee in the morning refreshes
and stimulates the coats of the stomach, and
causes there renewed yigor and activity. 1t
Is a common observation, that more appe-
tlte is left after coffee than before IT, SO
much for the importance of coffee as Il spice.
Very justly we asCribe to coffee also med
ical influence; we consider II a medicine
for our mental activity, and for the activity
of the nerves.
1t is well-known that at night coffee dis
pels fatigue, and that by the use of strong
coffee sleep may be banished for long
time; and more, those who are busy men.
tally often. feel fresh, invigor.
rating impulse after the enjoyment of cot.
fee. When fatigued with work, they make
II means to recruit their strength. For a
similar reason coffee can animate converse,
ton. When we meet elderly ladies in So
cicty and notice them sitting quietly and
talking but in monosyllables, we need not
be surprised-they have had no coffee vet.
But when, after little, conversation flows
with full force, like q rapid stream of water,
we may from this safely recognize the
mighty influence Of coffee. II has
loosened not only the tongues, but more,
the looks, the hands-nay the whole
DO ly ,nl the whole soul. Although the
mind has rested during the night, we feel
IN the morning DESTROYS OF stimulating our
nervous system with cup of coffee, pre-
pairing, as ii were only our mind for the
days work. A modern naturalist, as gem
ial as he is learned, Moleschott, ascribes the
lately increased consumption of coffee TO
the greater degree sfmental activity, which
life in former tin es did not require TO
such high extent rs our present aye.
We have now sufficiently explained the
need of coffee drinking, and we must CON
| 'ss that all we have said here docs not in
the least affect our conviction that, accord
ing to Liobig, coffee is almost nutritivc.
Aud no one can help believing this
who has seen how old people subsist
on but very little food provided they can
have plenty of coffee. The objection raised
that IL should be better for these persons to
take the nitrogen contained In coffee In the
form of meat is correct; but on the other
hand, we must stop to ask whether
meat would he good for the stomach ut all
such times as q cup Of coffee Isl This would
certainly not be the case early in the morn.
ing; and If in the coffee we enjoy bever-
age which gives us nutriment, strengthens
the stomach and at the same time stimu.
lates our mind, we have good reasons to
reverence the instinct of man which raised
coffee to an essential means OF subsistence,
and discovered Its beneficial influence long
before this was. done by scienoe.-[Bern.
stems Popular Science.