Tia; 687 
decoction of green Tea (or its extract) will speedily destroy life 
in the inferior animals.’ Fraser concluded, after careful and 
exhaustive experiments, that “both Tea and coffee tend to retard 
peptic digestion in the stomach, and intestines ; but coffee seems 
to aid the digestion of eggs (the white), and ham, whilst Tea 
increases the generation of gases; and therefore coffee is to be 
preferred for flatulent subjects. Tea reduces the acid-absorbing 
power of foods, whilst cocoa increases it, and is therefore the 
more appropriate beverage for patients suffering from acid 
indigestion. Tea (particularly), and coffee are to be avoided 
as accompaniments to meat meals, which require much peptic 
digestion (in stomach, and intestines). Tea-tasters insist that 
the moment the water in the kettle comes to the boil it shall be 
poured on the leaves; then the infusion is allowed to get cold 
in the several cups. Ceylon, and Indian Teas become syrupy 
when cold, and cloud over the surface of the liquid, just as 
though milk had been put in; but China Tea never clouds in 
this way. After standing for an hour or so, a ring forms on 
the inside of the cup where the top of the liquid touches ; this 
is the tannin. It is never seen with China Teas, and rarely with 
Darjeeling Teas. Respecting Coffee, it is to be noted that the 
berries when green improve by age up to four years; after 
which time they deteriorate. 
The value of cold Tea as a beverage is not sufficiently known. 
Literary men, and others accustomed to a sedentary occupation, 
commonly find that one or two cupfuls of cold Tea, made without 
adding milk, or sugar, will be as stimulating as the same quantity 
of sherry; whilst no fear is to be apprehended of subsequent 
drowsiness, and diminution for a time of the working power, 
as after imbibing wine, or spirit. Tea, and coffee, tend to cause 
wakefulness ; alcohol, on the other hand, in the second stage 
of its effects, tends to lethargy, and the promotion of sleep. 
Old Tony Weller (in Pickwick) said respecting his wife, landlady 
of the “ Marquis of Granby,” and when recently deceased, as 
to her late use of Tea: “She took wery little of anything in 
that way latterly ’cept on the Temperance nights, ven they just 
laid a foundation of Tea to put the sperrits a top on.” In 
Alice in Wonderland “the Mad Hatter urges in a trembling 
voice, to the King at the trial, ‘[?m a poor man, your Majesty, 
and I hadn’t begun my tea, not above a week, or so; and what 
with the bread and butter getting so thin, and the twinkling of 
