The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-09-28
PROPERTIES OF TEA.
when the beverage IL Beneficial and
when & IL Harmful.

when the beverage II Beneficial and
when 10 is Harmful.
Tea drunkards are not at all uncom-
mon. DIR. Cyrus Edison was asked to
give such information ae he had re-
garding the subject OF tea-drunkards.
He said:
"The effects OF tea as obtained and
used by us may be exhilarating with
out being perceptibly intoxicating. Tea
excites the mental faculties and makes
one wakeful. This fact is we'll 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-
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
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. Green tea, when
taken in strong infusion, acts very
powerfully upon persons of delicate
nervous organization. 1t produces ner-
NOuS bIclupllbSo anu tiCbS do a nulCOOiS,
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 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
a 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 Il very peculiar
kind of intoXication manifested. All
these symptoms pass off 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. 1t 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 kind of mild intox-
ication. contains more tannin than any
other ingredient. The amount of
theine in tea interests us most for it is
to this substance that the Intoxicating
qualities of tea are mainly due. Tho
quality of the 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 a certain
quality of tea the body may be made to-
economize food, for tea prevents the
vital organs from wasting food. In the
aged it serves another purpose. An
old, worn-out stomach no longer
digests food enough to make up fer
bodily waste. Tea, by preventing THE
waste, arrests the failing powers e.
life. 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 diges-
lion and vigor have begun to fail.
Every one-half ounce of tea con-
tains three or four grains of theme. If
an ounce of tea be taken within six or
eight hours we will almost surely see
the Intoxicating effects. Tea, when
taken in such quantity, is sure to be
rapidly followed by most injurious
effects. The digestion will be ruined
and 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 to En-
gland it was used as we use greens.
)f late years l have heard of its being
eaten dry. have also heard of Pc
,uliar fad among young ladies of
stepping the leaves until they unroll,
md then drying and smoking them in
cigarettes or pipes.
These habits are very pernicious
md dangerous, for thus the system
will receive more of the active prin-
,iples than by infusing the tea and
drinking it in the ordinary manner
Tea taken in moderate quantities
hat is, cup at each meal-can cer-
ainly have no injurious effect. But
he extent to which many old women,
md young ones, too, indulge in tea
is one of the social evils of |
he times. IN. Y. Morning journal.