The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-11-23
PROPERTIES OF TEA.

when the Beverage Ii Beneficial ana
when 1t il Harmful.
Tea drunkards are not at all uncom-
mon. DIR. Cyrus Edison was asked to
give such information as ne had re-
garding the subject of tea-drunkards.
He said:
The effects of tea as obtained aud
used by us may be exhilarating with
out being perceptibly intoxicating. Tea
excites the mental faculties and makes
one wakeful. This fact is well known
TO hard students who have to burn the
midnight oil and work with the brain.
"A secondary effect of tea, however,
Is to soothe and quiet the hearts ac-
ton.
I'VE know tea by the two varieties
found in our markets-black and green.
The green tea is the strongest and con-
tains the greatest amount of active
principle-theine. Green tea. when
taken in strong infusion, acts very
powerfully upon persons OF delicate
nervous organization. 1t produces ner-
vous tremblings and acts as narcotic.
greatly depressing the system.
I'm China green tea is said to be SO
strong when it is very fresh that these
effects are always manifest when any
person drinks the fresh tea. On this
account the Chinese rarely use tea be-
fore it Is a year old. In tea there are
three active principles which produce
these effects-volatile oil, theme and
tannin. The amount of the volatile
oil in tea is perhaps little less than
one half OF one per cent. 1t exercises
q powerful influence on the system.
The nature OF this influence is prob
ably narcotic. 1t is believed that the
attacks OF paralysis to which the tea
packers in China are subject is due to
the peculiar influence Of this volatile
oil which new tea contains in larger
proportions than old.
The real active principle of tea.
however, is theme. This is a nitro
genous body. and is almost identical
with the active property found in
coffee-coffeine. II six or eight grains
OF this substance be taken day very
unpleasant effects are felt. The pulse
becomes more frequent. the action Of
the heart becomes stronger, and nerv-
Gus trembling seizes the limbs. The
brain is greatly excited, the thoughts
wander, and there is a very peculiar
kind of intoxication manifested. All
these symptoms pass of in deep sleep
that comes on.
''Tannin gives tea its astringent taste.
This is the ingredient which in oak
bark is so generally used for tanning
leather. It forms twelve to seventeen
per cent. of the dried tea-leaf. The
longer the tea is stepped the more tan.
min is contained In the drink.
THAT this tannin aids in the exhil.
arating effect of tea is not improbable
The Indian betelnut, which is chewed
by the inhabitants OF the East, and
which produces q kind of mild intox.
ication. contains more tannin than any
other ingredient. The amount o.
theme in tea interests us most. for it il
to this substance that the intoxicating
qualities of tea are mainly due. The
quality OF the tea has much to do with
the amount Of theme contained. W.
flnd generally from two to four pei
cent of this substance in tea
by the consumption Of certain
quality Of tea the body may be made t.
economic food, for tea prevents the
vital organs from wasting food. In The
aged it serves another purpose. Al
old. WORKOUT stomach no Longer
digests food enough to make up fol
bodily waste. Tea, by preventing thii
waste, arrests the failing powers o
life. We do not wonder. therefore. tina
tea should be favorite with the poor
who are unable to purchase sufficient
food. and with the aged, whose diges
ton and vigor have begun to fail.
Every one-half ounce OF tea con
tains three or four grains Of theme.
an ounce of tea be taken within six o.
eight hours we will almost surely SCI
the Intoxicating effects. Tea. whel
taken in such quantity. is sure to b.
rapidly followed by most injuriou
effects The digestion will be ruinet
and the nervous system shattered.
Every good thing given to man /
abused in proportion to the amount O
pleasure it gives. Tobacco. alcoho
and tea always will be abused In thei
use by man.
when tea was first taken to En-
gland 1t was used as we use greens
OF late years have heard of its beinI
eaten dry. Ihave also heard of pc
culiar fad among young ladies O