Reproved by the World by C. M. S.

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Aug 2, 1906

Reproved by the World

By C. M. S.

C. M. S.

For many years our people have been instructed concerning healthful living, and have been warned against narcotics and stimulants. Many have heeded the advice, and are loyally following the counsel of the Lord. Others have “followed afar off,” or not at all. It may be a matter of interest to know that some of the people of the world are turning away from such beverages as tea and coffee, and are not afraid to give their reasons for so doing. While the injurious effects of tea drinking are not so pronounced where its use has been moderate, still, like any drug, its harm is proportionate to the amount used.

The London Lancet thus speaks regarding the use of that beverage:—

“Tea has undoubtedly its victims as well as alcohol, though we think that it would be absurd to say that the former beverage shares with the latter any serious connection with crime. Both, of course, may easily be sources of disturbance to health, and immoderate tea drinking is, in one sense, just as physiologically sinful as drinking an alcoholic beverage to excess. Alcohol is, of course, a more insidious poison than tea, and its effects are more drastic and perceptible. Nevertheless, tea may be equally stealthy in disturbing functional equilibrium.”

“As a factor in disease excessive tea drinking is very often overlooked, and it does not occur to many persons that tea may be the source of their trouble. At any rate, when the abuse of tea in such instances gives place to the drinking of it in a rational manner and in moderate quantities, the common symptoms of disturbance of the gastric function, such as flatulence and irregular action of the heart, and of the nervous system, disappear.”

“In poor families, where the teapot is always on the hob and the worst qualities of the leaves are thoroughly extracted, the imbibition of the poisonous stew being indulged in all day, the effects on the health have many points in common with those arising from the alcohol habit. Such persons are, as a rule, ill-nourished, tea often being taken to stay the pangs of hunger; they are confirmed dyspeptics; gastric ulcer is common among them, and their nervous systems are seriously affected.”

By the “abuse of tea” the writer means its excessive use; and yet, when we know the nature of the brew, when we know that tea is a drug and not a food, we need not hesitate to affirm that any use of it whatever is an abuse—an abuse of our own system. As it interferes with the digestion of the starchy foods, it is an injury to the system if taken in any quantity, and might, therefore, be said to be taken in excess when taken at all. These plain statements from men of the world must come somewhat in the nature of a reproof to those among us who have so long been instructed upon this point and still indulge in the harmful practise.