The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1882-09-28
THE VIRTUES OF COFFEE.
Its Exhilnrating Effects Upon the System
and Benefits In II Medicinal Way.


1t is getting to be the fashion now for
people to say that coffee is injurious to
health, and many persons are giving il
up regrctiuily. Perhaps coffee is very
| injurious in some cases, but of all bever-
ages 1t il conlen'icd that il is tiis ieas: IL
furious. Coffee drinkers are generally
| cheerful, strong and persevering. The
eminent DR.. Book, of Leipsic says
"The nervousness and pcevislness Of
times arc chiefly attributable to tea and
coffee" lie says that "the digestive or.
gans of confirmed coffee drinkers are i'm
a state of chronic arrangement, which
reacts ON tho brain. producing fretiul
| and lachrymose moods +" "I cannot
agree" says DIR. Henry Segur, of Paris,
that The nervousness and peevishness of
the present time are To- be attributed to
the use of coffee. II people are more
nervous or in worse humOr now than for
nerly, we may find other causes arising
from tho customs and habits of society
much more likely to produce such n state
of things than tho use of this particular
article of diet"
Let us examine the effects Of coffee on
the economy. Taken in moderation il is
mental aud bodily stimulant Of n most
agreeable nature, and followed by no
harmful reaction, ii produces content
ment Of mind, allays hunger and bodily
weakness, increases tho incentive and
capacity for work, makes man forget his
misiortuncs aud enables those who use it
to remain long time without food or
sleep, to endure unusual fatigue aud pre-
serve their cheerfulness and contentmcnt.
Jomand says: can infusion made with
ten ounces Of coffee enables mo to live
without other food for five consecutive
days without lessening my ordinary oc.
cupations and to use more and more pro.
longed muscular exercise than wEs ac-
customed to without any other physical
injury than slight degree of fatigue and
little loss of flesh"
The mental exhilaration, physical nc.
tivity and wakefulness it causes explains
the fondness for il which has been shown
by 80 many men Of science, poets, schol-
ars aud others devoted to thinking. 1t
has, indeed, been called tho intellectual
beverage. 1t supported the old age of
Voltaire and enabled Fontenelle to pass
his hundred years.
The action Of coffee is directed chiefly
TO the nervous system. 1t produces q
warming, cordial impression on the
stomach, quickly followed by dinused,
agreeable and nervous excitement, which
extends itself to the cerebral functions,
giving rise to increased vigor of imagi.
nation and intellect, without any subse.
quent confusion or stupor, such as are
characteristic of narcotics. Coffee con-
tains essential principles of nutrition far
exceeding in Importance its exhilarating
properties, and is one Of the most desira.
BILE articles for sustaining the system in
certain prostrating diseases. AS com.
pared with the nutrition to be derived
from the oest of soups coffee has decided.
ly the advantage and is to be preferred
in many instances. The medicinal
effects Of coffee are very great. In in.
ter.ni:tent fever Il he's been used hy emf.
nent physicians, with the happiest effect,
in cutting short the attack, and il prop.
erly managed is better in many cases
than tho sulphate Of quininc. In that
low state of Intermittent, as found on
the banks of the Mississippi River and
other malarial districts, accompanied
with enlarged spleen and torpid liver,
when judiciously administered it is one
of the surest remedies. In yellow fever
it has been used by physicians, and with
some it is their main reliance after other
necessary remedies have been admins.
tered; it retains tissue change, and thus
becomes n conservator of force in tha.
state in which the nervous system tends
TO collapse, because the blood has TO.
come impure; it sustains the nervous
power until the depuration and reorgani-
zation OF the blood are accomplished,
and has the advantage over other stimu.
lants in inducing no injurious secondary
affects. In spasmodic asthma its utility
is we'll established, as in whooping cough,
stupor, lethargy and such troubles. In
hysterical attacks, for which in many
cases physician can form no diagnosis,
coffee is great help.
Coffee is opposed to malaria. to all
oxious vapors. AS disinfectant it has
wonderful poweTs- AS an instantaneous
dodorizer it has no equal for the sick
room, ss all exhalations are Immediately
neutralized by simply passing chatting
dish with burning coffee grains through
the room. It may be urged that an ar.
ticle possessing such powers and capacity
for such energetic action must be injuri.
Gus as an article Of diet Of habitual en-
ployment, and not without deleterious
properties; but no corresponding nervous
disarrangements have been observed after
its effects have disappeared, as are seen
in narcotics and other stimulants. The
action impaired to the nerves is natural
and healthy. Habitual coffee drinkers
general enjoy good health. Some of the
oldest people have used coffee from ear.
liest infancy without feeling any depress.
ing reaction, such as is produced by alco.
holic stimulents.
"Who was it that said it is not good
for man to be alone?" asked Sunday