Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-12-19
Health Talks by DR.. Grady
The Ten aud CoGcc Question.


Ono or two cups of coffee with or without
cream and sugar for breakfast every morning
must be acknowledged to he harmless for most
adults. and in my Judgment should be deemed
wholesome and beneficial for most adults
This is true also OF one or two CUPS of tea
with meals every day.
Coffee and in less degree tea dcpend upon
an alkaloid called caffeine In coffee and tchne
IN tea Tor their we'll known stimulating action
upon the nervous system. An alkaloid present
IN cocoa and chocolate known as theobro-
mine, has similar action upon the nervous
system, though cocoa and chocolate are tho
mildcst OF the three beverages and coffee is
the most active.
oxygen is a powerful stimuant OF the nerv-
Gus system. and most OF us take several drinks
OF oxygen every day. Nobody has as yet in
PRODUCED substitute for oxygen and there for q
no extensive propaganda to discourage tho
drinking in of oxygen has yet been launched
nut we should not be surprised 10 learn almost
any day that oxygen is to blame for that tired
icelinE and the universal desire OF civilized
mankind to evade all labor and Just Toll about
or play Somebody probably Will assure us
mat unless We break this habit OF using so
much oxygen every day. so many labor saw
ing devices will be perfected shortly that
Wen all have to turn reformers
Children under the age of 16. arc invariably
harmed by coffee and tea. and. in my Judgment.
by cocoa or chocolate IL they use the latter
than myself believe. that Il little chocolate or
cocoa made with large proportion OF milk
ana cream Is comparatively harmless for chill
dren over 10 years OF age. Still. milk Ia the
childs beverage and why triHe with the child g
nutrition? There are still or were until recent
~. rev parents with so little responsibility
OF intelligence az to think that a little beer
docs child no harm. Just such pcople by
similar reasoning. begin feeding young chill
dfen weak tea or coffcc--and wonder WHY
Iheir children nre so nervous. so difficult to
manage, so much inclined to wet the bed so
susceptible to st. Nitus dance, likely to de-
'elop habit Spasms or tics. so prccocioue and
alas. sometimes so strangely vicious in moral
conduct.
Invalids and valetudnarians should be
guided by the counsels of their own medical
advisers as regards the use OF these beverages
700 many or the self-confessed neurotics in
this country are adding to the buGaboos tina I
haunt their lives. the tea and coffee phobIa
wholly upon tho suggestion Of some fellow
who would persuade them to Substitute a hoy
craGe he has 10 sell
According 10 the observations of Dr. Philip
u. Hawk, professor of physiological chemistry
In JeHcrson Medical College. Philade lphia
professor Hawk is not a physician) the pres
ence or either tea or coffee in wise retards
the digestion of food in the stomach-and DR.
Hawk is rather cold toward coffee drinking
himself
Ono point that skinny or undernourished
folks should know is that tho sense of we'll
being produced by tea or coffee sometimes en-
couragcs the drnkcr in taking too little real
food. dcceres him with the false sense OF sat-
ished appetite.