The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

To the Printer of the PUBLIC LEDGER.

It is affirmed by some to be a salutary stomachick, & a great promoter of digestion; others, on the contrary, that it is a pernicious destroyer of the texture of the stomach. But the general opinion is, that it causes too great a relaxation, which generally brings on a dejection of spirits, and frequently hypochondriacal symptoms ; this is oftentimes the case with persons of weak nerves. But it is laid to the wrong cause, for the real cause of its pernicious effects is from drinking it too hot, and not from any bad quality in the tea, as the following facts will plainly demonstrate. A Lady who was excessive fond of it, frequently used to drink so immoderately of it, as to cause such dejection of spirits, & sometimes attended with hysterics, that at last, with some reluctance, she was prevailed on to leave it off, and use sage and balm in its stead. but found the same effects from that as the other. She then again applied to tea, but was advised to drink it as cool as she could dispense with it. which she did with such good success, that when she drinks as large a quantity as usual, it now exhilarates her spirits, as much as it before dejected them. This circumstance plainly proves that tea in itself is evidently a salutary herb, and the bad effects which are imagined to arise from it, arise solely from the hot water. If any doubt it, let experience convince them of the truth.

I am, yours &c.
D. D.