The natural history of the tea-tree, with observations on the medical qualities of tea, and effects of tea-drinking / By John Coakley Lettsom.
- John Coakley Lettsom
- Date:
- 1772
Licence: Public Domain Mark
Credit: The natural history of the tea-tree, with observations on the medical qualities of tea, and effects of tea-drinking / By John Coakley Lettsom. Source: Wellcome Collection.
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![1 [ S3 ] / titles. Before the introduction of this exotic, it was not un- ufual to entertain afternoon guefts in a very different manner; jellies, tarts, fweetmeats; nay, cold meat, wine, cyder, ftrong ale, and even fpirituous liquors under the title of cordials, were often brought out on thefe occaflons, and perhaps carried to a culpable excefs, and much to the injury of individuals. This kind of repaft would tend to keep up the natural inflammatory diathefis, which was the refult of vigor, and a plenitude of rich blood; as well as favor difeafes originating from luch caufes. It feems not unreafonable therefore to fup- pofe, that as the diet of our anceftors was more generous, their exercifes more athletic, and their difeafes more generally, the produce of a rich blood, than are obfervable in the prefent times ; that thefe debilitating effeCfs before mentioned may in. part be attributed to the ufe of Tea, as no caufe appears to be fo univerfal and fo probable, SECT. XIL If thefe fuggeftions are admitted, they will aflifl: us in de¬ termining when and to whom the ufe of Tea is falutary, and to whom it may be deemed injurious. Thofe for inftance, who either from a natural propenfity to generate a rich in¬ flammatory blood, or from exercife or diet, or climate, or all together, are difpofed to be in this fltuation: to thefe the ufe of Tea would feem rather beneficial, by relaxing the too rigid folids, and diluting the coagulable lymph of the blood, as a very fenflble and ingenious author very juftly ftiles it (g)* $. (g) Philofophical Tranfa&ions, Vol. LX. 1770. p. 368, & feq. There](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b3041104x_0071.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
