84 
character of the beverage, and an approach toward that of the 
poisonous drugs. 
the most part, alcohol does not engender pleasant states, 
but only deadens unpleasant ones. It does do the former to a 
slight extent by depressing the conservative powers of the judg- 
ment, and eld the imagination to roam. The alcohol 
itué, however, craves a cepa effect in the production 
of artificial ce states. This introduces an entirely new 
group of nervines, peed Pie in which caffeine is the 
most commonly occurring and important element. These drugs, 
with their intense action upon the heart and upon the brain cells, 
are far more injurious, and even deadly, than alcohol. This 
statement does not, of course, apply to the use of the weaker 
infusions of tea or coffee, taken as true beverages, for the sake 
of the contained water, and with the drug percentage so slight 
as not to produce more than a mild exhilaration. It does apply 
to the habitual use of very strong teas and co Caffeine 
does not destroy cerebral equilibriam, aie ees a is, there- 
fore, not really a narcotic. It improves and increases mental 
vigor, though the exhaustion is correspondingly greater, and in- 
creased rest and recreation are called for after the labor is past. 
s to the sloppy substances sold under the name of “ postum,” 
‘‘cereal coffee” etc., t may be ignored entirely. They con- 
tain no element of harm and little of good, and it can be only 
a perverted taste that prefers them to pure water. Besides the 
well-known tea and coffee, the caffeine-group contains several 
members of the highest importance in their respective homes. 
Maté or Paraguay tea is the dried leaf of Mex Paraguayensis, 
and is used generally as a tea substitute throughout uae! 
and the adjacent region. Those who learn to use it are said 
ee invariably to prefer it to tea. It contains sae one to 
two per cent. of caffeine, about half the amount existing in tea. 
Almost throughout the Amazon valley the roasted and crushed 
seed of Paullinia Cupana, related to our horse-chestnut, is used 
as a substitute for coffee, under the name of Gua he 
moistened mass is made into sausage-like rolls. Usually, the 
grated powder is stirred into cold water, instead of being infused 
