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Title: Tea and the effects of tea drinking
Author: Tebb, W. Scott
Language: English
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DRINKING ***
TEA
AND THE
EFFECTS OF TEA DRINKING.
BY
W. SCOTT TEBB, M.A., M.D., CANTAB., D.P.H.
FELLOW OF THE INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY, PUBLIC ANALYST TO THE
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF SOUTHWARK.
London:
T. CORNELL & SONS, Commercial, Law and General Printers,
63, Borough Road, S.E.
In March, 1904, the Southwark Borough Council at the request of Sir
William Collins gave permission for an inquiry to be made into the
constituents of tea in order to ascertain what injurious ingredients
were present, and if it were possible to obtain the characteristic
effects without subjecting tea-drinkers to any of the deleterious
symptoms. The subject will be seen to be of importance and I propose
to include a brief history of the use of the Tea plant, together with
a general review of the experience gained by those best competent to
judge of the effects since its introduction of what has now come to be
considered a necessity of life. In addition there are set forth the
results of examination of different samples of tea and the general
conclusions to which I have arrived.
What we call tea, is called by the Chinese tcha, tha, or te, and by the
Russians tchai. The original English word was tee, at least this is the
name used by Samuel Pepys one of the earliest to allude to the herb in
this country. Tee was afterwards altered to tay, as will be seen from
Pope’s lines in the “Rape of the Lock.”
Soft yielding minds to water glide away
And sip, with nymphs, their elemental tay.
Or again,
Hear thou, great Anna! whom three realms obey
Dost sometimes counsel take, and sometimes tay.
Some of the modern editions of Pope have altered the spelling at the
expense of the rhyme.
The tea-plant, Thea Sinensis, botanically speaking a close ally of
the Camellia is in its natural state a tree which attains to 20 or 30
feet in height. Under cultivation it remains a shrub from three to
six feet high. It grows in all tropical and sub-tropical countries,
and roughly it takes the labour of one man a day to produce a pound
of tea. The leaves--the only part of the plant used in commerce--vary
from two to six inches long, are evergreen, lanceolate and serrated
throughout nearly the whole margin; the leaves are stalked and arranged
alternately on axis, the flowers somewhat resemble apple blossoms but
are smaller.
The shrubs are planted in rows three or four feet apart and look like
a field of currant or gooseberry bushes; at the end of the third year
the bushes become large enough to allow of the first picking and in the
eighth year the plant is cut down, when new shoots spring up from the
old roots. In Ceylon and parts of India the first picking is in March
and there may be as many as 25 pickings in the season until October;
in China the first picking is in April, and in Japan late in April or
early May. The early pickings make the finest quality of tea, and the
very late leaves are not usually exported at all, but are used by the
peasants locally. In preparation for commerce the leaves are subjected
to various processes of drying, rolling and roasting, into which it
would not be necessary at any length to enter; the essential point to
remember is that black tea differs from green in that after a short
preliminary rolling and roasting, the leaves are exposed to the air in
a soft moist state, when they undergo fermentation with the result it
is said that a portion of the tannic acid is converted to sugar. Robert
Fortune,[1] an authority on the cultivation of the tea plant thought
that the differences of manufacture “fully account for the difference
in colour, as well as for the effect produced on some constitutions by
green tea, such as nervous irritability, sleeplessness, &c.”
When we come to look into the early origin of the practice of
tea-drinking we find that the subject is shrouded in the mists of
antiquity. There are many legendary stories of the discovery and use of
tea by the Chinese, but the only authentic and well-attested accounts
were given by two Mahommedans who travelled in India and China in the
ninth century. The original manuscript was found in the Comte de
Seignelay’s library by Eusebius Renaudot and published in 1733. There
is plain internal evidence that the manuscript was written about 1173,
for there are observations upon the extent and circumference of the
walls and towers of Damascus and other cities in subjection to the
Sultan Nuroddin, who is spoken of as living at that time. This prince
died in 1173 which fixes the date of the narrative before that time.
The account speaks of the Arab merchants having been present in China
in the years 851 and 867 respectively. On page 25 occurs the following
important passage “The Emperor also reserves to himself the revenues
which arise from the salt mines and from a certain Herb which they
drink with hot water, and of which great quantities are sold in all
the cities, to the amount of great sums. They call it _sah_ and it
is a shrub more bushy than the pomegranate tree and of a more taking
smell, but it has a kind of bitterness with it. Their way is to boil
water, which they pour upon this leaf, and this drink cures all sorts
of diseases; whatever sums are lodged in the treasury arise from the
Poll-tax, and the duties upon salt, and upon this leaf.”[2]
Tea was therefore much in vogue in China in the 9th century. From China
the knowledge was carried to Japan, and there the cultivation was
established at the beginning of the 13th century; from that time until
the 19th century China and Japan have been the only two tea producing
countries. As with all innovations Europe and particularly England was
very slow to take to the practice, for tea is hardly mentioned by any
of the writers prior to the 16th century.
One of the earliest to allude to the subject was Giovanni Botero[3] in
1596, in his treatise on the causes of the magnificence and greatness
of cities; he remarks that “they (the Chinese) have also an herb, out
of which they press a delicate juice, which serves them for drink
instead of wine, it also preserves their health and frees them from all
those ills that the immoderate use of wine doth breed unto us.”
It will be observed that in these early accounts much stress is laid on
the beneficial action of tea in preserving health and curing disease,
and this was in all probability the first use to which the shrub was
applied. Thus one of the Sloane Manuscripts, dated 1686, gives a long
list of “qualities and operations,” attributed by the Chinese to the
tea plant. It was said to purify the blood and kidneys, cure giddiness
and pains in the head, vanquish superfluous sleep and heavy dreams,
open obstructions, clear the sight, strengthen the memory, sharpen the
wits and quicken the understanding.
About the year 1657, Thomas Garway of the Exchange Alley issued a sheet
proclaiming the virtues of tea; the alleged qualities being almost
identical with those given in the Sloane Manuscript just mentioned.
This was a sort of advertisement of his place of business and he
tells us that “many noblemen, physitians, merchants, and gentlemen of
quality” sent to town for the “said leaf,” and “daily resort” to his
house in Exchange Alley to drink tea. He informs us that prior to 1657
it was only used as a “regalia in high treatments and entertainments,”
and for presents for princes and grandees.
Another early reference is from an advertisement in the “Mercurius
Politicus” for 1658. “That excellent, and by all physitians approved
_China_ drink, called by the _Chineans_, Tcha, by other nations _Tay
alias Tee_ is sold at the _Sultaness-head_, a _Cophee-house_ in
_Sweetings_ Rents, by the Royal Exchange, London.”[4]
A further early reference is by Thomas Rugge[5] which may be seen in a
manuscript at the British Museum. “About this time the parliment that
was forced out the 13th day of October, 59; it was called by all sorts
of persons the Rump, because they war soe few in number; and there war
also att this time a Turkish drink to be sould, almost in every street
called Coffee, and another kind of drink called Tee, and also a drink
called Chocolate which was a very harty drink.”
It is rather difficult to reconcile this account of the prevalence of
the use of tea as a drink with that of other writers of the period.
Thus Pepys writing a year afterwards under date September 25, 1660,
says: “I did send for a cup of tee (a China drink) of which I never had
drank before.” This clearly points to the novelty of the practice in
1660 for Samuel Pepys was Secretary of the Admiralty, and a public man
of keen observation, and it is almost impossible if tea was commonly
sold as a drink at this time that he should have been unaware of the
fact. Macaulay[6] also mentions that about this time tea “had been
handed round to be stared at.” It seems therefore clear that the
herb was quite recently introduced in 1660, and it is possible that
Rugge under the name of “tee” is referring to hot infusions of other
leaves for it is well known that herbs were commonly used for making
different sorts of teas as sage tea, &c.[7]
The first official notice of tea is in the Act of Parliament (12
Carolus II., c 23), by which a duty of eightpence was charged on every
gallon of coffee, chocolate, sherbet, and tea made for sale. In 1662
Charles II. married Princess Catherine of Portugal, and the Poet Waller
has immortalised tea-drinking by a birthday ode in her honour.
The muse’s friend, tea, does our fancy aid,
Repress those vapours which the head invade,
And keeps that palace of the soul serene
Fit, on her birthday, to salute the Queen.
Two years later the King was a recipient of the then valuable gift of
2lb. 2oz. of tea from the East India Company.
In Pepys Diary under the date of June 28, 1667, we read “Home and there
find my wife making of tea; a drink which Mr. Pelling, the Potticary,
tells her is good for her cold and defluxions.” Tea, therefore, was
just coming into vogue. In 1669 the East India Company received two
canisters containing 143¹⁄₂ pounds; the price at this time was sixty
shillings a pound. The Company imported 4713 pounds in 1678, but this
amount probably glutted the market, for in the six subsequent years
the imports were quite inconsiderable. In 1697-99 the imports averaged
20,000, in 1700-08 they reached 80,000 pounds, in 1728 over a million
pounds, in 1754 four and a half million, in 1763 six million, and in
1779 nearly ten million pounds.[8] It is not necessary to follow the
imports during the whole of the 18th century, speaking generally it was
found that excessive duties led to smaller imports, and at the same
time to a large increase of smuggling and other irregularities.
Since 1800 there has been an enormous increase of consumption in the
United Kingdom, as will be seen from the following figures:--
TABLE A.
Average number of Average Average number of
Year-Periods. pounds of Tea annual pounds of Tea consumed
consumed per annum. Population. per head per annum.
1801-10 23,717,882 16,794,000 1·41
1811-20 24,753,808 19,316,700 1·28
1821-30 28,612,702 22,433,900 1·27
1831-40 34,441,766 25,257,200 1·36
1841-50 44,286,600 27,566,300 1·61
1851-60 65,160,456 28,172,400 2·31
1861-70 97,775,548 30,027,600 3·26
1871-80 144,462,622 33,055,020 4·37
1881-90 178,130,836 36,178,144 4·92
1891-1900 224,076,800 39,440,316 5·70
1901-03 255,270,472 41,550,773 6·10
Since the beginning of the last century therefore the average
consumption per head has increased from 1·4 to 6·1 pounds. In our
Australian and New Zealand Colonies the quantity consumed is even
much larger than in the United Kingdom as will be seen from the table
below:--
TABLE B.
Average number of pounds
of Tea consumed per
head per annum.
New South Wales 8·01
Victoria 7·38
South Australia (except N. Territory) 8·87
South Australia (North Territory) 6·44
Western Australia 10·07
Queensland 7·09
Tasmania 6·62
All Australia 7·81
New Zealand 6·78
The enormous quantity of tea consumed in Great Britain and our
Colonies will be better appreciated if comparisons are made with other
Countries:--
TABLE C.
Average number of pounds
of Tea consumed per
head per annum.
Russia 0·93
Germany 0·12
Holland 1·48
France 0·06
United States 1·09
Canada 4·64
I should like to say a few words concerning the sources of tea supply
to the United Kingdom. Of course until fairly recent times practically
all the tea came from China. Early in the last century it was found
that the tea plant was indigenous to India. In 1825 the Society of Arts
offered their gold medal “to the person who shall grow and prepare the
greatest quantity of China tea, of good quality, not being less than 20
pounds weight”[9] in the East Indies and British Colonies. In 1832 Dr.
Wallick made a report on the cultivation of tea in India and said “that
under a well-directed management the tea plant may at no distant period
be made an object of extensive cultivation in the Honourable East India
Company’s Dominions.” Several years afterwards in 1839 the Society
of Arts Medal was awarded to Mr. C. A. Bruce “for discovering the
indigenous tea tracts and successfully cultivating and preparing tea in
the British possessions in India.” In 1840 the first Indian Tea Company
was formed, in 1853 tea was growing in Cachar, in 1856 in Sylhet, and
in 1864 in Darjeeling and other places. Much more recently Ceylon has
become prominent in supplying this country with tea. It came about in
this way; the coffee plantations were destroyed by disease in 1868
and the planters succeeded in growing cinchona and tea as alternative
crops. This experimental growth of tea in Ceylon has now become a
flourishing industry.
The following table shows in five year periods since 1866, the
proportion of each 100 pounds of tea imported into the United Kingdom
from India, Ceylon, China and other countries respectively:
TABLE D.
Five Year Other
Periods. India. Ceylon. China. Countries.
1866-70 6·62 0·00 91·44 1·94
1871-75 10·50 0·08 85·62 3·80
1876-80 18·26 0·06 80·18 1·50
1881-85 26·73 0·86 70·71 1·71
1886-90 39·66 10·96 47·07 2·32
1891-95 47·10 29·30 21·04 2·56
1896-1900 50·25 36·30 10·52 2·93
1901-03 58·45 33·28 4·74 3·53
It appears that China which formerly supplied 90 per cent. in 1866, now
contributes less than 5 per cent. of our tea. During the same period
the Indian supply has gone up from 6 to 58 per cent., and Ceylon which
only commenced to send tea in 1875 now sends the substantial proportion
of 33 per cent. of the total importation.
From the above tables it will be seen that of the yearly average of
six pounds consumed in the United Kingdom, one third of a pound comes
from China, three and a half pounds from India, and two pounds from
Ceylon. The Dutch the next largest tea-drinkers to the British consume
a pound and a half each person per annum, half of this comes from Java
and the remaining half from the United Kingdom (principally of Chinese
origin). Most of the tea drunk in Russia comes from China. In Australia
two-thirds of the tea is imported from India and Ceylon, and the rest
comes from China. In the United States more than half the tea comes
from China and the bulk of the remainder from Japan.
I now proceed to deal briefly with the constituents of tea which are
generally believed to impart to the tea infusion its special characters.
_Alkaloid._ The alkaloid which is present in tea to the extent of 3
or 4 per cent. is thought to be identical with that found in Coffee,
viz: caffeine. It has the well-known stimulant and invigorating
qualities with which the taking of tea is associated. Thus the brain is
stimulated, the intellect becomes clear; there is removal of languor
and fatigue with increased wakefulness and alertness. The following is
by a Chinese writer, who lived over 1,000 years ago and he writes so
well, and so much to the point, that we must not quarrel with him if he
has omitted to give us the reverse aspect of the question.
It tempers the spirits, and harmonises the mind,
Dispels lassitude, and relieves fatigue,
Awakens thought, and prevents drowsiness,
Lightens or refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.
We shall also forgive Cowper’s strong prepossession in favour of tea
when we call to mind the cosy, comfortable picture which he describes:
And while the bubbling and loud hissing urn,
Throws up a steamy column, and the cups
That cheer but not inebriate, wait on each
So let us welcome peaceful evening in.
I suppose that this verse has been as much quoted as anything in our
language, and the homely picture of the evening meal has done much to
wean the English people from stronger drinks.
The following article from the _Lancet_ of 1863 presents all the
arguments, and very important arguments they are and very well stated
which can be placed to the credit of tea-drinking:--
“It has a strange influence over mood--a strange power of changing
the look of things, and changing it for the better: so that we can
believe and hope, and do under the influence of tea, what we should
otherwise give up in discouragement and despair,--feelings under the
influence of which tissues wear rapidly. In the language of the poor,
who in London we are told spend one-eight of their income in buying
tea, it produces a feeling of comfort. Neither the philosopher nor
the philanthropist will despise this property of tea, this power of
conferring comfort, or removing _ennui_, of promoting those happier
feelings of our nature under which we can do most and bear most. There
is no denying the considerable dependence of our moods and frames upon
substances; and as moods are as important as muscles, as they affect
as largely a man’s ability for the great ends of life, we cannot
regard the cheapening of such substances, when devoid of noxious
qualities, as other than a most important benefit to the poor.”
This feeling of comfort, this power of changing the aspect of affairs,
of appealing to the happier side of our nature, in other words of
putting us at our best, is undoubtedly due to the alkaloid of tea.
Since I have been interested in the subject I have conversed with a
number of friends, and many have told me that the best time of day
to do any writing or intellectual work is after a cup of tea in the
afternoon, and I must confess to feeling more myself at this time than
at any other; but, on the other hand if no afternoon tea is taken,
this period of the day is when most people feel fagged and tired and
incapable of mental exertion. This shews the great influence exercised
by tea over our moods and feelings; and if tea is taken in moderation
this property may be of great help and a mental stimulus to us in our
daily vocation.
_Tannin._--The other important constituent of tea, viz.: tannin is
present to the extent of 10 or 20 per cent. and it is this substance
to which most of the injurious effects of tea have been attributed.
In excess tannin tends to depress the action of the digestive fluids
and ferments. It interferes with the normal activity of secretion by
constricting the blood vessels and diminishing the circulation, and
lastly it tends to combine with the nitrogenous principles of the food
rendering them insoluble and incapable of digestion. The tendency
therefore of this substance is greatly to impair digestion and it
gives rise to palpitation of the heart, headache, flatulence, loss
of appetite, constipation and other symptoms so well-known at the
out-patient departments of our general hospitals; on inquiry it is
often found that the patient is accustomed to drink large quantities
of tea, which has stood for long periods and consequently extracted
excessive amounts of tannin.
In addition to the alkaloid and tannin the older writers asserted that
tea contained a volatile oil to the extent of 0·6 to 1 per cent.,
and many of the qualities and deleterious effects of tea have been
traced to the presence of this substance. The latest experiments,
however throw some doubts on these early results. Thus in the report
of Schimmel & Co. for April, 1897, it is stated (p. 39) that “in
former years we endeavoured on several occasions to distil various
kinds of tea in order to introduce tea oil ... we have, however, in no
case succeeded in obtaining more than mere traces of oil,” and they
conclude that in the hands of the early experimenters the oil found
on distillation was due to the artificial flavouring of tea which was
common at that time. Schimmel & Co. in their Report for April, 1898
(p. 50) refer to a report of the Botanical Gardens in Buitenzorg for
1896. It appears that experiments were made on a large scale, thus
2500 kilograms of freshly fermented tea leaves were submitted to steam
distillation and 130 cubic centimetres or 0·0052 per cent. of oil was
obtained.[10] It must be remembered that this oil was only found in
freshly fermented leaves and from the minute quantity I think we may
conclude that tea oil if present has little or no connection with the
qualities and attributes of tea, or the deleterious effects to which it
may give rise.
A word or two with reference to the adulteration of tea. In former
times a good many samples and especially of green tea were faced;
this consisted in the addition of some colouring matter as Prussian
blue, turmeric, or indigo; and sometimes black tea was faced with
graphite. Another practice formerly prevalent was the addition of
various leaves having a resemblance to tea leaves; and then there was
the use of exhausted or spent leaves. All these forms of adulteration
are now happily very seldom practiced. To shew the extreme rarity of
tea adulteration in this country, in the 17 years from 1887 to 1903,
7595 samples were purchased under the Food and Drugs Acts and of these
only 23 were found to be adulterated. These figures include 15 cases
in 1898, and according to the report of the Local Government Board for
this year many were of the description known as caper tea. This is one
of the China varieties and consists of small granular masses made up
by the aid of gum and starch, and this lends itself to the addition of
sand and stones as actually happened in the cases in question. I think
that with this exception of mineral matter, tea adulteration in this
country may now be said to be practically non-existant.
We have glanced through the general effects of the important
constituents of tea. I now propose to consider the amount of harm which
can be justly attributed to this popular article of daily consumption.
The opposition to tea on the ground of injury to health is almost as
old as the introduction of tea itself. One of the earliest objectors
was Dr. Simon Pauli,[11] the Physician to the King of Denmark, in
a commentary he wrote on the abuse of tobacco and tea. He objected
on the ground that “tea is moderately heating, bitter, drying and
astringent.” He felt it incumbent on him to warn Europeans against the
abuse of tea, especially as the herb he said by no means answered the
encomiums bestowed upon it by the Chinese and Japanese. “I wish all
persons especially such as are old would obstinately reject _tea_,
which so dries the bodies of the _Chinese_ that they can hardly spit.”
Pauli was also a strong opponent of Coffee and alleged that it produced
“sterility.”
Another powerful writer on the subject was Dr. Cohausen a learned and
ingenious German physician. The works of this author were numerous and
bore evidence of the vigour of his intellect and of his application
to letters. His work entitled “Neothea,” and published in 1716, was
written to shew the folly of sending to China for tea, when we had so
many herbs to hand, just as pleasant and far more healthy. His wit for
which he was justly celebrated was not sufficiently powerful to render
the use of tea unfashionable.
Boerhaave, the great Dutch physician, and follower of Hippocrates and
Sydenham had an objection to tea, but not so much to the herb itself
as to the practice of drinking of hot liquids. He refers to those
persons who “weaken their bodies with perpetual drinking of aqueous
liquors; such is the very bad custom which prevails amongst the Dutch,
who indulge themselves in a sedentary life, and all day long use those
Asiatic drinks made of the berries of coffee or leaves of tea.”[12]
He also attributed to these drinks certain nervous disorders. “I have
seen a great many, so enervated by drinking too freely of those liquors
(tea, coffee and the like) that they could hardly move their limbs, and
likewise several who were seized with the apoplexy and palsy from that
cause.”[13]
An early lay opponent of tea-drinking was John Wesley. He tells us that
when he first went to Oxford with an exceedingly good constitution “he
was somewhat surprised at certain symptoms of a paralytic disorder.”
His hand shook especially after breakfast, and he observed that if
he gave up tea-drinking for two or three days, the shaking ceased.
On inquiry he found that tea had the same effect on others, and
particularly on persons whose nerves were weak. This led him to lessen
the quantity and to drink weaker tea, but still for about 26 years he
was more or less subject to the same disorder. In 1746 he began to
observe that a number of people in London were similarly affected,
some suffering from the nerves with decay of bodily strength, and he
asked them if they were hard drinkers, and learnt in reply that they
drank nothing but a little tea, morning and evening. He came to the
conclusion that they suffered from the effects of tea like he had
himself. Wesley thought he should set an example and broke himself
of a practice which had lasted for 27 years. The first three days he
suffered from headache more or less all day long, and was half asleep
from morning to night; on the third day his memory failed but the
symptoms abated in the following day and his memory returned. He felt
great benefit from the abstinence, and found that his hand was as
steady at 45 as it had been at fifteen.
One of the most determined opponents of tea-drinking in the 18th
century was Jonas Hanway, the eminent philanthropist and “father”
of Sunday schools. His views may be gathered from the title of his
work.[14] Owing to the results of this beverage he said “men seem to
have lost their stature and comeliness; and women their beauty ... what
Shakespeare ascribes to the concealment of love, is _in this age_,
more frequently occasioned by the use of _tea_.... I am persuaded the
inhabitants of this island will never increase in number nor enjoy a
blooming health whilst they continue such an extravagant use of tea.”
Hanway’s exaggerations succeeded in drawing Dr. Johnson into the
controversy. The great man in a review of Hanway’s work said “he is to
expect little justice from the author of this extract, a hardened and
shameless tea-drinker who has for twenty years diluted his meals with
only the infusion of this facinating plant, whose kettle has scarcely
time to cool, who with tea amuses the evening, with tea solaces the
midnights, and with tea welcomes the morning.”[15]
We learn from Boswell that “no person ever enjoyed with more relish
the infusion of that fragrant leaf than Johnson. The quantities which
he drank of it at all hours were so great, that his nerves must have
been uncommonly strong, not to have been extremely relaxed by such an
intemperate use of it.” Boswell says that Johnson assured him he never
felt the least inconvenience from it. In a footnote to page 105 of
Boswell’s “Life” we are informed that a Mr. Parker of Henley was in
possession of a tea-pot which belonged to Dr. Johnson and held “above
two quarts.”
At the end of the eighteenth century Dr. Lettsom, a well-known
authority on the subject, published a work on the “Natural History
of the Tea Tree.” He found that amongst the less hardy and robust
complaints were ascribed to the drinking of tea “there are many who
cannot bear to drink a single dish of tea without being immediately
sick and disordered at the stomach, ... and that in irritable
constitutions it speedily excited the nerves to such a degree as to
give rise to uneasy sensations and bring on spasmodic affections.”
He also says “I know people of both sexes, who are constantly seized
with great uneasiness, anxiety, and oppression as often as they take
a single cup of tea.” For children he thought it decidedly harmful;
“children and very young persons in general, should as much as possible
be deterred from the use of this infusion. It weakens their stomach,
impairs the digestive powers and favours the generation of many
diseases.” On the whole however, he was not altogether opposed to the
practice in strong healthy vigorous adults, “to such it is undoubtedly
wholesome and equal at least if not preferable to any other kind of
regale now in use.” On another page we read that “if not drunk too
hot, nor in too great quantities it is perhaps preferable to any other
vegetable infusion we know.”
Quite at the end of the eighteenth century, Dr. Buchan, who was
something of a medical reformer, and had naturally observed the results
of tea-drinking thought that the ill-effects proceeded rather from the
imprudent use of it than from any bad qualities in the tea itself. In
his “Domestic Medicine” (p. 74) he says, “good tea, taken in moderate
quantity, not too strong, nor too hot, nor drank upon an empty stomach,
will seldom do harm, but if it be bad, which is often the case or
substituted in the room of solid food, it must have many ill effects.”
He observed that “females who live much on tea and other watery diet,
generally become weak, and unable to digest solid food; hence proceed
hysterics, and all their dreadful consequences.”
In the early part of the nineteenth century we have the opinion of
William Cobbett, a vigorous writer and acute observer of the habits
of the time in which he lived. In his “Advice to young men” Cobbett
remarks “Let me beseech you to resolve to free yourselves from the
slavery of the _tea_ and _coffee_ and other _slop kettle_, if unhappily
you have been bred up in such slavery. Experience has taught me that
those slops are _injurious to health_. Until I left them off (having
taken to them at the age of 26) even my habits of sobriety, moderate
eating, early rising, even these were not, until I left off the slops,
sufficient to give me that complete health which I have since had.”
The most complete but painful description I have come across of the
distressing symptoms occasionally associated with tea-drinking is
given by Dr. James Henry[16] who writes in 1830. He refers to the
case of a gentleman who commenced the use of tea of ordinary strength
at the age of 14. Shortly afterwards sleep became less sound, and he
became nervous and easily agitated about matters of small consequence.
Afterwards he suffered from uneasiness even while sleeping, also
from nightmare and palpitation of the heart. His sleep was disturbed
during the whole period of ten years; during this time he took three
cups of tea in the morning and three cups in the evening. At the age
of 24 or 25 he used tea more freely and his sleep became more and
more disturbed. He sometimes took tea twice in the same evening. The
suffering was very great; he did not fall asleep at night until two
o’clock and the agitation of mind and body was indescribable. The
pulsations of the heart were sometimes quick and faint, and sometimes
so violent that he could not lie on his left side. Sometimes the
pulsations became scarcely perceptible for several moments, at such
times the patient felt as if he were dying and if he fell asleep he
awoke with a violent start. He wished to sleep that he might avoid
the distressing sensations which he felt while awake, but feared to
do so lest his awakening should be accompanied by frightful agony.
After a time the distressing sensations were so marked especially just
before going to bed that “in the society of my family I felt myself
so agitated without any apparent cause that I was unable either to
speak or think deliberately, or even to remain in one position and
have been obliged that I might not be thought insane to rise abruptly,
hurry out of the house and take violent exercise in the open air.”
At 30 years of age he renounced tea and never suffered afterwards,
“the very first night I slept soundly and I have never had any return
either of sleeplessness or of starting or of the sensation of imminent
death, unless on the rare occasions when I have returned to the use
of tea.” Dr. Henry argued from the above case that “tea and coffee
act as a poison upon some persons” and on turning his attention to
the subject he found that such cases were far from uncommon, and
concluded that like alcohol tea may be indulged in for a series of
years without apparent ill consequences, but that sooner or later it
undermines the health, and renders life miserable. As with alcohol he
recognises two stages. The first stage was characterised by agreeable
sensations in the stomach, moderate perspiration, quickened pulse and
increased vivacity of mind and body. In the second stage there was
irregular pulse, sometimes rapid, sometimes slow and intermitting,
with palpitation and pains in the region of the heart--a vivacity
of thought and action which is quite uncontrollable by the will, a
painful insensibility to impressions of all kinds, twitchings of
the muscles, disturbed sleep, frightful startings especially in the
evening, irregular and sometimes cold perspiration, impaired appetite
and defective circulation in the extremities. He concluded “that the
immoderate use of tea and coffee produce a disease which bears a close
resemblance to the _delirium tremens_ of whisky drinkers, and which
is almost identical with the diseased state induced by the excessive
indulgence of opium.”
We now come to the opinion of the more recent authorities and a few
remarks are necessary concerning the symptoms liable to result from
excessive tea-drinking. In the _Boston Medical and Surgical Journal_
for September 10th, 1868, a writer Dr. Pratt explains the effects on
himself of 12 grains of the alkaloid of tea. After two hours there
was great physical restlessness, a very uneasy state of mind which
has been described by Lehmann as “mental anguish.” Soon after there
was marked tremulousness of the hands and arms; the hand trembled so
violently that it was impossible to write with any regularity. The
mind was excessively uncomfortable and anxious which admitted not of
the slightest rest; it was in a state of most active and persistent
thinking in spite of all attempts at forgetfulness. The severe symptoms
lasted about two hours. Dr. Pratt spoke to one of the most prominent
New England lady writers. She had tried green tea when pressed to do a
large amount of writing in a short time. Some time after taking a large
quantity of tea she felt as “if there was nothing left but her head
which furnished rapidly language or ideas of the best quality, and in
goodly quantity all night long.” The next day there was headache and
more or less prostration.
An important article on the “toxic effects of tea” was contributed by
Dr. Morton[17] in 1879. He said that the bad effects of tea tasting
were known and recognised by the tea tasters themselves and that few
could carry on the business for many years without breaking down. The
immediate effects of moderate doses were increased rapidity of pulse,
increased respiration, agreeable exhilaration of mind and body, a
feeling of contentment and placidity, and an increase of intellectual
and physical vigour with no noticeable reaction. The immediate effects
of an excessive dose, were a rapid elevation of the pulse and marked
increase of respiration; there was no period of exhilaration, but
immediate and severe headache, dimness of vision, ringing in the ears,
and dulness and confusion of ideas. Following this a severe reaction
with exhaustion of mind and body, tremulousness, nervousness and dread
of impending harm. The effects of continued doses were--continuance
of tremulousness, extreme susceptibility to outside impressions,
constipation and diminution of urine.
Dr. Morton concluded that tea--like other potent drugs--had its proper
and improper uses, in moderation it was a mild and pleasant stimulant
followed by no harmful reaction but that continued and immoderate use
led to serious symptoms including headache, giddiness, ringing in
the ears, tremulousness, nervousness, exhaustion of mind and body,
disinclination to mental and physical exertion, increased and irregular
action of the heart and also dyspepsia.
Dr. Bullard[18] of Boston made inquiry into the subject of poisoning
from excessive tea drinking and found that the prominent symptoms
were loss of appetite, dyspepsia, palpitation of the heart, headache,
nervousness and various forms of functional nervous symptoms of an
hysterical or neuralgic character; he found that usually speaking five
cups of tea a day on an average were required to produce symptoms of
tea poisoning.
A more recent investigator Dr. Wood[19] found in his practice at the
Brooklyn Central Dispensary that of 1000 consecutive cases applying
for general treatment, 100 or 10 per cent. were found to be “liberal
indulgers in tea,” and suffering from its deleterious effects; of those
100 patients:--
45 complained of headache.
20 ” persistent giddiness.
20 ” despondency.
19 ” indigestion.
19 ” palpitation of the heart.
15 ” sleeplessness.
Dr. Wood found that when tea had been used for a considerable period
in excess, the symptoms were giddiness, mental confusion, palpitation
of the heart, restlessness, sleeplessness, hallucinations, nightmare,
nausea, neuralgia, with prostration and anxiety. In three of Dr. Wood’s
cases there was a tendency to suicide.
Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson, a great authority thinks that it is only the
abuse of tea which is attended with serious consequences. “For my own
part I have not the least hesitation in recording the conviction that
the development of the tea trade has been in the past and will be in
the future a most important aid to the progress of civilisation. Nor
do I believe that it will be attended by any serious drawbracks.”[20]
But he sounds a note of caution when he says “there can be no doubt
whatever that the injudicious use of tea may produce not only alarming
attacks of disturbance of the heart, but seriously impair the
digestion, and enfeeble the nervous system.”
Sir Andrew Clark, who gave much consideration to the subject, in
a lecture delivered at the London Hospital said, “I may remark
incidentally that it has always been a matter of surprise to me how
it is that we English people do not suffer more than we do from our
indulgence in tea, especially tea prepared as it usually is, and taken
after a prolonged fast early in the morning. It is a great and powerful
disturber of the nervous system, and no one who has any regard for
his or her nervous system would take it in that way. Its immediate
effect may be all that can be desired. It relieves the _malaise_ which
is in itself a sign of warning, and it thus enables the consumer to
disregard it. Beware gentlemen, of thus sitting on a safety-valve.
Nature provides a warning in most cases of impending disaster, and if
you wilfully disregard or stifle them, you do so at your peril. This
pernicious habit of taking strong tea after a night’s fast, repeated
day after day, week after week, year after year, leaves its stamp on
the nervous organism of the individual, and this stamp is handed down,
in part at any rate, to the generation that follows.”[21]
Sir Lauder Brunton[22] who has also given much study to the question
made some remarks in his Lettsomian Lectures on the “Disorders of
Digestion.” He said that tea was very apt to cause a feeling of
acidity and flatulence. Sometimes the acidity comes on so soon after
the tea taken that it is difficult to assign any other cause for
it than an alteration in sensibility of the mucous membrane of the
stomach or œsophagus. The effect of tannin he said was to interfere
very considerably with the digestion of fresh meat, and there were
many people in whom tea taken along with fresh meat will upset the
digestion. It did not interfere with the digestion of dried meat such
as ham or tongue, the fibres of these have already become shrunk or
toughened in the process of curing. He thought that tea at breakfast
was not so apt to cause indigestion, but that tea in the afternoon two
or three hours after lunch would sometimes bring on acidity almost
immediately. A part of the mischief wrought by tea in the lower classes
was due to allowing it to infuse for a long time so that a large
quantity of tannin was extracted. Another reason was that the poor
were accustomed to drink tea very hot. Heat was a powerful stimulant
of the heart, and a cup of hot tea was therefore much more stimulating
and refreshing than a cold one. The practice, however, of sipping the
tea almost boiling was apt to bring on a condition of gastric catarrh.
Sir B. W. Richardson was probably more opposed to the practice of
tea-drinking than any of our leading modern physicians and as one of
the most distinguished medical reformers of recent times his opinion is
entitled to carry much weight.
“The common beverage tea,” he says, “is often a cause of serious
derangement of health, if not of actual disease. The symptoms of
disturbance occur when even the best kind of tea is taken in excess,
and almost inevitably from the mixture called ‘green tea’ when that
is taken even in moderate quantity.... Tea first quickens, and then
reduces the circulation which is the action of a stimulant. But tea
does more than this; it contains tannin, and is therefore styptic or
astringent in its action from which circumstance it is apt in many
persons to produce constipation, and interfere with the function of the
liver. In some persons this astringent effect of tea is very bad. It
gives rise to a continued indigestion, and what is called biliousness.
The most important agent in tea, however, is the organic alkaloid,
theine. The alkaloid exercises a special influence on the nervous
system, which, when carried to a considerable extent, is temporarily
at least if not permanently injurious. At first the alkaloid seems to
excite the nervous system, to produce a pleasant sensation and to keep
the mind agreeably enlivened and active. The effect is followed by
depression, sinking sensation at the stomach, flatulency, unsteadiness
with feebleness of muscular power, and not infrequently a lowness of
spirits, amounting almost to hypochondriacal despondency. Poor people
meet the craving for natural food by taking large quantities of tea.
A strong craving for it is engendered which leads to the taking of
tea at almost every meal, greatly to the injury of health. Poor women
in the factory and cotton districts become actual sufferers from this
cause. They are rendered anæmic, nervous, hysterical, and physically
feeble. In the better classes of society similar if not such severe
injury is effected by tea in those who indulge in it many times a
day, and especially in those who indulge in what is called afternoon
tea.... The afternoon tea or drum causes dyspepsia, flatulency, nervous
depression and low spirits, for relieving which not a few persons have
recourse to alcoholic stimulation.... Tea taken late in the evening,
except immediately after a moderate meal, interferes with the sleep
of most persons by causing indigestion, with flatulency, and sense of
oppression. Some are kept awake entirely by the action of the tea on
the nervous system; others get off to sleep, but are troubled with
dreams, restlessness, and muscular startings. In a few incubus or
nightmare is a painful symptom induced by tea.” In old people however,
Sir Benjamin Richardson had not noticed such serious results “as
persons advance in life the bad effects of tea sometimes pass away or
are greatly modified.” But for the generality of people Sir Benjamin
certainly felt very strongly about the matter for elsewhere he says “it
causes in a large number of persons a long and severe and even painful
sadness, there are many who never know a day of felicity owing to this
one destroying cause.”[23]
Having generally reviewed the question of injury to health I now come
to our own experiments. I first made inquiry into the strength of tea,
as commonly consumed, and found that the usual quantity of black tea
added was about eight grammes to the 600 cubic centimetres of boiling
water. I next approached two well-known firms who kindly supplied me
with samples of pure unmixed Indian, Ceylon and China teas.
Eight grammes of each sample were weighed out and were then infused
in a tea-pot for five minutes with 600 cubic centimetres of boiling
distilled water. At the end of five minutes the infusion was poured off
and analysed for the percentage of extract, alkaloid, and tannin, and
the following tables show figures for the Indian, Ceylon and China teas
respectively.
TABLE E.
ANALYSIS OF INDIAN TEAS.
(Infusion of 8 grammes with 600 cc of boiling distilled water for 5
minutes.)
Wholesale Proportion
Price Per Per Per of tannin
No. Description and without cent. cent. cent. corresponding
District. duty Extract. Alkaloid. Tannin. to 2·8
per lb. per cent.
Alkaloid.
1 Orange Pekoe, 1/10 24·75 3·11 6·87 6·18
Deamoolie, Assam
2 Broken Orange Pekoe, 1/10 28·87 3·07 9·45 8·61
Powai, Assam
3 Orange Pekoe, Tara, 2/6 26·62 3·32 7·55 6·36
Assam
4 Pekoe, SS/U 1/4 21·75 1·86 5·42 8·16
Darjeeling
5 Fannings Badulipar, 9d. 30·37 3·30 10·46 8·87
Assam
6 Pekoe, Singlo, Assam 9d. 27·37 2·79 9·87 9·90
7 Pekoe, Rungamuttee, 7d. 23·25 2·70 5·35 5·55
Sylhet
8 Pekoe, Assam 6³⁄₄d. 27·90 2·86 7·26 7·11
9 Broken Orange 1/- 30·60 3·60 7·90 6·14
Pekoe, Assam
10 Broken Orange 1/9¹⁄₂ 25·90 2·62 8·92 9·53
Pekoe, Assam
11 Broken Orange 7³⁄₄d. 29·10 3·20 7·34 6·42
Pekoe, Sylhet
12 Orange Pekoe, 7¹⁄₂d. 27·90 2·61 8·72 9·35
Assam
13 Pekoe, Sylhet 5¹⁄₄d. 24·18 2·70 6·40 6·64
14 Broken Pekoe, 10d. 23·20 2·41 7·15 8·31
Darjeeling
15 Pekoe, Darjeeling 6¹⁄₂d. 21·92 2·21 5·72 7·25
16 Pekoe, Dooars 6d. 25·08 2·92 7·20 6·90
17 Broken Pekoe, 7d. 25·65 3·14 6·52 5·81
Dooars
18 Orange Pekoe, 6¹⁄₂d. 25·53 2·62 5·70 6·09
Cachar
TABLE F.
ANALYSIS OF CEYLON TEAS.
(Infusion of 8 grammes with 600 cc of boiling distilled water for 5
minutes.)
Wholesale Proportion
Price Per Per Per of tannin
No. Description and without cent. cent. cent. corresponding
District. duty Extract. Alkaloid. Tannin. to 2·8
per lb. per cent.
Alkaloid.
1 Orange Pekoe, Great 9d. 25·50 2·53 6·98 7·72
Western, Unware
Eliya District.
2 Broken Orange 1/3 28·61 2·64 10·10 10·71
Pekoe, Concordia,
Unware Eliya
District.
3 Broken Pekoe, 1/0 27·90 2·49 7·92 8·90
Pedro Unware
Eliya District.
4 Pekoe 7³⁄₄d. 26·92 2·58 8·65 9·39
5 Pekoe 5d. 22·68 2·86 5·82 5·69
6 Pekoe 6³⁄₄d. 24·70 2·48 7·09 8·00
7 Broken Orange 7¹⁄₂d. 25·68 2·63 7·39 7·86
Pekoe
8 Broken Pekoe 9d. 26·50 2·77 7·91 7·99
9 Broken Pekoe 6d. 24·41 2·98 6·46 6·07
10 Broken Pekoe 6³⁄₄d. 25·01 2·67 8·39 8·80
11 Broken Orange 11³⁄₄d. 28·80 2·94 10·66 10·15
Pekoe
12 Orange Pekoe 7³⁄₄d. 25·83 2·55 6·86 7·53
TABLE G.
ANALYSIS OF CHINA TEAS.
(Infusion of 8 grammes with 600 cc of boiling distilled water for 5
minutes.)
Wholesale Proportion
Price Per Per Per of tannin
No. Description and without cent. cent. cent. corresponding
District. duty Extract. Alkaloid. Tannin. to 2·8
per lb. per cent.
Alkaloid.
1 Fine Moning, 1/5 18·80 2·59 3·48 3·76
Hankow
2 Oolong, Formosa 1/1 24·00 2·46 8·76 9·97
3 Souchong -- 18·30 2·60 2·44 2·63
4 Moning 1/1 20·43 2·23 2·96 3·71
5 Scented Orange 1/2 23·81 2·68 7·70 8·04
Pekoe Canton
6 Gunpowder, Green 1/4 29·47 2·55 9·54 10·47
Tea
7 Caper, Green Tea 10³⁄₄d. 21·45 1·87 9·08 13·59
8 Oolong 10d. 23·62 2·47 8·80 9·97
9 Hyson, Green Tea 1/4 26·81 2·32 9·62 11·61
10 Pakling 5¹⁄₄d. 18·77 1·81 3·19 4·93
11 Pekoe Souchong, 1/5 19·31 2·36 2·33 2·76
Lapsang
12 Panyang 4¹⁄₂d. 21·00 1·93 4·71 6·83
13 New make 8¹⁄₂d. 21·78 3·40 6·42 5·28
The last column in the above tables or the proportional amount of
tannin is arrived at in the following manner. I first calculate the
average amount of alkaloid in tea as consumed on a basis of the above
figures. Thus the average amount of alkaloid in Indian teas as seen
in Table H calculates out to 2·84 per cent. This is multiplied by the
proportion of Indian teas on the market, viz. about 60 per cent. in the
same way the average Ceylon alkaloid 2·68 is multiplied by 30, and the
China average 2·40 multiplied by 6. If we add these products together
and divide by 60 + 30 + 6 = 96 this will give us the average percentage
of alkaloid in tea as consumed and this amounts to about 2·8 per cent.
The last column in Tables E, F and G, gives the proportion of tannin
corresponding to 2·8 per cent. alkaloid; that is to say the tannin in
each case is multiplied by 2·8 and divided by the amount of alkaloid
actually present. This figure which represents the proportional amount
of tannin present renders the comparison of the different teas possible
so far as the astringent action is concerned.
The following table summarises the results of analyses of the three
classes of teas:--
TABLE H.
Proportion
of Tannin
Class of Number of Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. corresponding
Teas. Analyses. Extract. Alkaloid. Tannin. to 2·8
per cent.
Alkaloid.
Indian Teas 18 26·11 2·84 7·43 7·32
Ceylon Teas 12 26·04 2·68 7·85 8·20
China Teas 13 22·12 2·40 6·08 7·09
Thus the Ceylon teas under the conditions of experiment part with
slightly more tannin than the India or China teas. It will be noticed
that the proportional tannin figures for the India and China teas are
not very different, although some of the individual China teas give out
less tannin than any of the India or Ceylon samples. It is possible
that the China average is rendered rather high by an undue proportion
of green tea which of course shows excess of tannin. The question will
naturally be asked whether as a nation we do not drink too much tea,
and there is a very simple means of solving the problem. As shown
in table A the average consumption per head per annum in the United
Kingdom is 6·1 pounds, or 117 grains of tea per diem. The average
percentage of alkaloid in tea, as consumed, I calculate to be 2·8 per
cent., and of tannin 7·5 per cent. This will mean that each person
will take a daily dose of 3·28 grains of alkaloid and 8·8 grains of
tannin. According to the last Census 3,716,708 out of 32,527,843, or
10 per cent. of the population of England and Wales, are under five
years of age; these might almost be neglected as far as tea-drinking
is concerned, so that we must add one-tenth to the average daily dose
of the alkaloid and tannin, which will come to 3·6 grains of alkaloid,
and 9·7 grains of tannin. The dose of caffeine according to the British
Pharmacopœia is from one to five grains and of tannin from two to five
grains. And hence on an average each person in the United Kingdom is
constantly day by day consuming half as much alkaloid, and nearly as
much tannin as would be permissible to be taken occasionally as a drug.
Therefore I have no hesitation whatever in saying that we drink far
too much tea, and the question has been raised in Ireland whether the
excessive drinking of strongly infused tea has not had something to do
with the increasing prevalence of insanity in that country. Thus in
the Forty-third Annual Report of the Inspectors of Lunatics, Ireland
(1894), the Inspectors dwell on the ill effects of decocted or over
infused tea on persons who make it a staple article of dietary, thus
leading to the production of dyspepsia, which in its turn tends to
states of mental depression highly favourable to the production of the
various forms of neurotic disturbance.
Thus Dr. William Graham of the Armagh District Asylum refers to the
recent changes of dietary having an unquestioned influence on the
increasing prevalence of insanity. He refers to the use of Indian
tea as a beverage between meals. “The tea,” he says, “is stewed, not
infused, as a consequence the use of increased amount of nervine food
leads to a peculiar form of dyspepsia, which in its turn leads to
a general debility of the nervous system. This change is therefore
to be considered as a factor in the increase of insanity.” Dr. G.
W. Hatchell, the Resident Medical Superintendent of the Castlebar
District Asylum, stated that “amongst the female inmates, I believe
many cases of insanity may be attributable to the frequent consumption
of decoction of tea, taken generally without food and for lengthened
periods.”
Again Dr. Thomas Drapes of the Enniscorthy Asylum, said “there is
not much evidence of the excessive use of this beverage (tea) being
directly provocative of insanity, but I think there is very little
doubt that its too liberal use excites or aggravates a predisposition
to neurotic disorders, including insanity, making the nervous
system more vulnerable in regard to such maladies, by the increased
excitability of the nervous system which tea undoubtedly produces.
A neurotic organisation may also be transmitted to their progeny by
parents who drink tea to excess.”
Lastly, Dr. E. E. Moore of the Letterkenny Asylum, said “As to the
consumption of tea, it seems to be enormous and increasing rapidly
all over the country. I am informed that it is taken by young and
old alike, and even by babes in the cradle. It is drunk as often as
it can be got, at every meal and between meals, often six times a
day, and especially by females and usually without milk, and often
without food. I may safely say that it is never taken as an infusion,
but is generally stewed for hours, the old leaves being left in the
teapot and fresh added as required. In some places I am told the way
the tea is made is by putting the leaves down in a saucepan of cold
water, and then boiling it until the decoction is black enough to be
palateable.... I can speak from practical experience of the terrible
effects of this system of tea drinking both among the sane and insane.
It gives rise to a severe form of chronic dyspepsia, and if persisted
in to dyspepsia of an incurable and painful form. The result of all
this is that the health of the people all through the county is
deteriorating more than most people imagine. In fact the people are
starving themselves on tea, and the weaker they become the more they
rush to the teapot for the fillip the draught therefrom may give
them for the moment. This tea-drinking is becoming a curse, and the
people are developing a craving for tea, just as great as that which a
drunkard has for alcohol, or a drug-taker for his own particular drug.
There is no manner of doubt but that the condition of bodily health
affects the mental health of every man, woman and child, and if the
starved stomach becomes a prey to chronic dyspepsia the chances are
very great that the mind will, before long, be materially affected
especially where there is a predisposition to insanity of an hereditary
type.” With these important testimonies from responsible officials, it
is difficult to resist the conclusion that the abuse of tea drinking
has acted as a factor in the increased prevalence of insanity.
As a general conclusion from my investigations I have no doubt that
in the first place we drink too much tea; this is shewn by a simple
calculation from the average annual amount imported for consumption.
Of course children of tender years should obviously be given no strong
stimulants (such as tea or coffee) and adults would be acting wisely
to very much limit the amount taken. With regard to the best method
of preparation it should be infused, (neither stewed or decocted) and
certainly for no longer period than five minutes, and a good plan is to
pour the tea off at the end of this time into another vessel so as to
save further exhaustion from the leaves. In reference to the variety of
tea best to use, although it is not certain that the average of China
teas contains less tannin than Indian teas, there is no doubt that
individual samples of China tea can be procured comparatively free from
this deleterious substance.
With a view of discovering the constituent parts of the tea popularly
consumed, I procured samples from each of the four leading Companies,
which probably amongst them, supply nine-tenths of the tea drunk in
London Restaurants. The infusion was made in exactly the same way as
described above and the analyses came out as follows:--
TABLE I.
RESTAURANT TEAS.
(Infusion of 8 grammes with 600 cc. of boiling distilled water for 5
min.)
Proportion
of Tannin
No. Description Retail Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. corresponding
and District. Price Extract. Alkaloid. Tannin. to 2·8
per lb. per cent.
Alkaloid.
1 “China” Tea 2/2 20·20 2·51 4·85 5·41
2 Ordinary Black 2/2 25·60 2·04 9·03 12·39
Tea
3 “China” Tea 2/0 20·06 2·15 3·02 3·93
4 Ordinary Black 2/0 27·90 2·69 9·74 10·13
Tea
5 “Russian” Tea 2/6 23·50 2·30 5·36 6·52
6 Ordinary Black 2/8 24·60 3·02 6·03 5·59
Tea
7 “China” Tea 2/4 24·50 2·22 5·85 7·37
8 Ordinary Black 2/2 28·31 2·72 8·44 8·69
Tea
It will be observed that the China teas exhibited a fairly low
proportion of tannin. The numbers for ordinary black tea in two of
the Companies’ samples were, however, considerable. This points to
the advisability of teas being analysed before being placed upon
the market, and this is a reform much needed in the interest of the
public. The tea should be examined for the amount of the alkaloid,
and also the tannin extracted by infusion, and the price based on the
proportion of the essential ingredient, viz: the alkaloid and if it
is desired to place the matter on any sort of scientific basis, the
public should in each case be informed of the weight of tea required
to be used with boiling water (this being regulated by the quantity
of the alkaloid), and at the same time an indication should be given
of the proportion of tannin liable to be extracted in a standard
infusion. My general recommendations from the foregoing experiments,
and also from the experience of the various authorities are that if tea
is to be no longer a source of injury to health we should drink much
less, and infuse for a briefer period. The dealers also should more
frequently submit samples for analysis as in the case of other foods
and drinks; thus when we _do_ drink tea we should be in a position to
avoid those varieties which are especially harmful; and there is no
doubt that if these recommendations are carried out we shall be saved
from a number of distressing complaints which, although very rarely
fatal, have in the past occasioned much ill health, and have been a
source of discomfort and misery both of mind and body to thousands who
might otherwise have enjoyed the comfort to be derived from a carefully
regulated use of the infusion of the leaves of the tea plant.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] A journey to the Tea Countries of China, p. 281, London 1852.
[2] Ancient Accounts of India and China, by Eusebius Renaudot, London
1733.
[3] Delle cause della grandezza delle citta. Giovanni Botero Milan
1596, p. 61.
[4] MERCURIUS POLITICUS, comprising the sum of Foreign intelligence
with the affairs now on foot in the three nations of England, Scotland
and Ireland. For information of the people. From Thursday, September
23rd to Thursday, September 30th, 1658. Number 435.
[5] MERCURIUS POLITICUS REDIVIVUS. A collection of most materiáll
occurances and transactions in publick affaires, A.D. 1659 to 1672.
Add. M.S.S. 10116, p. 14.
[6] History of England, iv. 132.
[7] Dried sage leaves were used for making infusions even up to the
year 1750.
[8] See Report from Select Committee on Commercial Relations with
China, 12th July, 1847, p. 501.
[9] See Article by Bannister in the Journal of the Society of Arts,
October 31, 1890 p. 1030.
[10] The oil was found to contain small quantities of methyl salicylate
or oil of wintergreen.
[11] Commentarius de abusu tabaci americanorum veteri et Herbae Thee
Asiaticorum in Europa novo 1665.
[12] Van Swieten’s Commentaries, xvii., 450.
[13] Ibid., x., 274, 275.
[14] “An Essay on Tea, considered as pernicious to health, obstructing
industry, and impoverishing the nation,” London 1757.
[15] THE LITERARY MAGAZINE, 1757, ii., 161.
[16] “A letter to the Members of the Temperance Society” James Henry,
M.D., Dublin, 1830.
[17] “Medical Record,” New York, 1879, xvi., 43.
[18] “The Boston Medical and Surgical Journal,” 1886, cxiv., 314.
[19] “Medical News,” 1894, lxv., 486.
[20] Archives of Surgery, 1892, iii., 366.
[21] “Medical Press and Circular,” 1894, i., 188.
[22] “British Medical Journal,” 1885, i., 270.
[23] Sanitary Record 1883, v., 199.
Transcriber’s Notes
Minor errors and inconsistencies in punctuation have been fixed.
Page 3: “nervous irritibility” changed to “nervous irritability”
Page 10: “impare digestion” changed to “impair digestion”
Page 18: “that an alteration” changed to “than an alteration”
The column headers for Table F were added.
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