The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-10-04
PROPERTIES OF TEA.
when the beverage is Beneficial and
When 1 IL Harmful.


when IL is Harmful.
Tea drunkards are not at all uncom-
mon. DIR. Cyrus Edison was asked 10
give such information as he had re.
gsrding the subject OF tea-drunkards.
lie 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
10 hard students who have 10 burn the
midnight oil and work with the brain.
"A secondary effect Of tea, however,
is TO soothe and quiet the hearts ac-
tion.
1--WE 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
inciple-theine. Green tea. when
taken in n strong infusion. acts very
powerfully upon persons OF delicate
nervous organization. IL produces ner-
vous tremblings and acts as a narcotic.
greatly depressing the system.
'In China green tea Is said 70 be 80
strong when IL 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 IL Is 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. II exercises
powerful influence on the system.
The nature OF this influence Is prob
ably narcotic. II 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 DO taken a day very
unpleasant effects are felt. The pulse
becomes more frequent, tho action OF
the heart becomes stronger. and nerv-
GUS trembling scizes the limbs. Tho
brain Is greatly excited, tho thoughts
wander, and there Is n very peculiar
kind OF intoxication manifested. All
these symptoms pass of In deep sleep
that comes on.
"TanniD gives tea It's astringont taste.
This Is tho ingredient which In oak
bark is SO generally used for tanning
leather. IL forms twelve to seventeen
per cent. OF tho dried tea-lcaf The
longer the ten 10 stepped tho more tan
min Is contained In the drink.
THAT this tannin aids In the exhil-
arating effect OF tea is not improbable.
The Indian botelnut, which Is chewod
by the inhabitants OF tho East, and
which produces kind OF mild intox-
ication, contains more tannin than any
other ingredient. The amount OF
theme In tea interests us most. for IL Is
TO this substance that tho Intoxicating
qualities OF tea are mainly due. The
quality OF tho tea has much to do with
the amount OF theme contained. We
find generally from two to four per
cent. OF this substance in tea.
"By the consumption Of certain
quality OF tea tho body may be made to
eoonomize food, for tea prevents tho
vital organs from wasting food. In the
aged 1t serves another purpose. An
old. worn-out stomach no longer
digosts food enough to make up for
bodily waste. Tea, by preventing this
waste, arrests tho failing powers OF
lfo. We do not wonder, therefore, that
tea should be favorite with the poor,
who are unable to purchase sufficient
food, and with the aged. whose digcs-
tion and vigor have begun to fail.
Every onc-half ounce OF tea con-
tains three or four grains OF theiue. IL
an ounce of tea be taken within six or
eight hours wo will almost surely 500
tho Intoxicating effects. Tea, when
taken In such quantity, Is sure TO be
rapidly followed by most injurious
effects. The digestion will bo ruined
aud the nervous system shattered.
Every good thing given to man Is
abused in proportion TO the amount OF
pleasure it gives. Tobacco, alcohol
and tea always will be abused In their
use by man.
"When tea was first taken 20 En-
gland IL was used rs we use green's.
or late years have heard OF it's being
eaten dry. have also heard OF pc
culiar fad among young ladies OF
stepping the leaves until they unroll
and then drying and smoking them in
cigarettes or pipes.
"Theso habits are very pernicious
and dangerous. for thus the system
will receive more OF tho active prin-
ciples than by infusing the tea and
drinking it In the ordinary manner.
Tea taken in moderate quantities
that is, a cup at each meal can cor-
tainly have no injurious effect But
the extent TO which many old women,
and young ones, too. indulge In tea
drinking is one of the social evils OF
the times. IN. Y. Morning Journal.