806 LIQUIDS. 



Tea is hurtful: 1, to those of spare habit and the under-fed; 

 2, to the young who are provided with the full amount of vital 

 activity; 3, to those who perspire too freely; 4, early in the day, for 

 it is then apt to increase tissue-waste ; 5, to nervous or hysterical 

 subjects, or those with weak hearts. 



On the other hand, it is frequently not injurious: 1, for the 

 over-fed and sedentary, for they require increased vital action ; 2, 

 for the old, whose vital activity is deficient ; 3, for those who have a 

 non-perspiring skin; 4, during the after part of the day when the 

 system is full of partly digested food, for then the process of diges- 

 tion requires to be quickened; 5, during excessive heat, in order to 

 relax the skin and relieve internal congestion ; 6, for those whose ner- 

 vous systems are firmly braced up. 



As commonly prepared, tea is often the cause of much dyspep- 

 sia, particularly when drunk in excessive quantities or too frequently, 

 that is as a rule more than once a day. In some nervous and gas- 

 trie disorders, tea and other hot beverages are better discontinued, 

 at least for a time. In this way intractable cases have often been 

 cured. Dyspeptics suffering from flatulent indigestion should take 

 tea in very moderate quantities only, as an excess of fluid increases 

 the gaseous distention of the abdomen. Feeble patients often drink 

 tea at every meal and much ill health is the consequence. Tea 

 should not be taken if it cause loss of appetite, palpitation of the 

 heart, mental excitement or sleeplessness. Tea should never be 

 given to children. The common practice of adding a small quan- 

 tity to milk and water begets a relish for it, leading to its use at an 

 age when the nervous and muscular systems require no such aid. 

 Tea taken with animal food is more liable to produce indiges- 

 tion than when the meal consists chiefly of bread and butter. 



In the preparation of tea three principles are extracted : One 

 aromatic (oil) ; another nitrogenous (theine)', the other astringent 

 and bitter (tannin). The last, the cause of gastric disorder, is only 

 given off after prolonged infusion, whereas the aromatic oil and 

 theine are completely extracted in about two minutes. Hence to 

 make tea, especially for the dyspeptic, it should be made by pouring 

 on the leaves boiling water (not water that has boiled), and allowing 

 it to stand for two minutes. It may then be poured off into a heated 

 teapot so as to separate it from the leaves. Thus prepared, tea is 

 not so likely to cause flatulence. If the tea be good the infusion 

 will be fragrant, not very deep in color, nor harsli or bitter to the 

 taste. The leaves should not be boiled, or otherwise the peculiar, 

 volatile, aromatic principle is dissipated, nor for the same reason 

 should the infusion stand long; in this case also too much rough- 

 ness and bitterness are added to the flavor by the extraction of 

 tannin. This tannin, though it makes the tea look strong, is worse 

 than useless, since it renders the food taken with the tea insoluble 

 and indigestible. In an ordinary infusion the first cup of tea is also 

 best, having more of the choice flavor and aroma and less of the as- 



