NAT. ORDER. THE.^CE^. 93 



ill drying it, before they will suffer it to be brought into uae ; and 

 that even after such preparation, they usually abstain from its use 

 for a year or more, that is, until its volatile ])arts are all completely 

 dissijiated ; and it is said that unless they use this precaution, the 

 Tea, in a more recent state, manifestly shows strong narcotic 

 powers. Even in this country, the more odorous Teas often show 

 their sedative powers in weakening the nerves of the stomach, and 

 sometimes the whole system." 



From these considerations, we may safely conclude, that Tea 

 is to be considered as a narcotic and sedative substance ; and that 

 it is powerfully such in its odorous state, and therefore less in the 

 Bohea than in the Green Tea, and the most so in the more odor- 

 f)us, or what are called the finer and better sorts. Its effects, how- 

 ever, seem to be very different in its operation ujion different con- 

 stitutions ; and hence so many different and contradictory accounts 

 that are reported of these effects. But if we consider the differ- 

 ence of constitution, which occasions some difference of the 

 operation of the same medicine in different persons, and of which 

 we have a remarkable proof in the operation of opium and other 

 narcotics, we should not be surprised at the different o])erations 

 of Tea. 



If to this we add the falicy arising from the condition of the 

 Tea employed, which is often so inert as to have no effects at all ; 

 and if we still add to this the power of habit, which can destroy 

 the powers of the most powerful substances, we shall not allow 

 the various, and even contradictory reports of its effects to alter 

 our judgment with respect to its qualities in affecting the human 

 body. Thus, from the experiments above mentioned, and from 

 observations with which every physician must necessarily become 

 more or less familiar, in witnessing its effects upon all sorts of per- 

 sons, we must be convinced that the qualities of Tea are narcotic 

 and sedative. 



Tt is often contended that the bad effects imputed to Tea, are 



