THE DANCERS OF STRONG TEA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XIV, Issue X, 9 March 1895, Page 232

THE DANCERS OF STRONG TEA.

That the continuous use of strong and improperly infused tea is seriously harmful has long been known to experienced medical practitioners. A case reported from New York well illustrates some of the dangers of the practice. The person of whom the facts are recorded was a healthy young man of 30 He was a total abstainer and a non-smoker. In November, 1892, having been up to that time a non-tea drinker, he commenced the habit of taking half a pint of strong tea at noon, and a second half-pint at four o’clock. Those quantities be gradually incieased until he was taking three fuil pints a day—a ridiculous quantity it must be admitted. After continuing for six weeks be began to experience a * mild tingling ’ in the right hand, which speedily extended up the forearm. Small * blebs ’ appeared on the fingers, the skin of the body became unusually sensitive, and the heart’s action feeble and irregular. The tea drinking whs thereupon stopped, and in six weeks, with suitable treatment, the patient became quite well. About fifteen months later, having probably almost forgotten bis former experience, the young man returned to his passion for strong tea. In less than a month his former symptoms, all more severe, and some new ones, began to app-’sr. These were so manifestly due to the strong tea that it was again given up, and again a cure resulted. The moral of the story is that, however delightful and stimulating good tea, properly infused and taken in moderation. may be. its excessive use should be avoided, especially by those who have once shown susceptibility to its influence.