cident, or avocation, cause many
persons to be unfortunately ranked amongst those of the latter
description. These, from their intensity of thought, want of exercise,
injurious position of body, respiration of unwholesome air, and a
variety of other causes, have not only their animal spirits exhausted,
but their liquids corrupted from the loss of a necessary circulation.
With these evils India tea operates as an absolute poison. Indeed, it
frequently renders those incurable, who might, by other means, have
been relieved.

"When a view is taken of the dismal effects produced by India teas, the
mind seems to be bewildered in searching for the cause of using so
generally a drug that is so universally destructive. It chiefly
originated in a fundamental mistake of physical principles. About the
time that India tea was introduced to Europe, a grievous error crept
into the practice of medical professors; they falsely imagined that
health could not be more promoted than by increasing the fluidity of
the blood. This opinion once established, it is no wonder that mankind,
with one accord, adopted the infusion of India tea, which was then a
novelty to Europe, as the best means of obtaining the above effect. By
the advice of Bentikoe chiefly was the pernicious custom of drinking
warm liquors, night and day, established. To this man, and the
introduction of India tea, may be ascribed that revolution in the
health of Europeans which has happened since the last century. The
present age, therefore, have great cause to lament, in what they suffer
in nervous complaints, that their forefathers did not attend more to
the scientific and judicious advice of the illustrious Duncan,
Boerhaave, and the whole school of Leyden, who proscribed this error.
Although they could not entirely prevent this physical abuse, yet their
zealous endeavours did, in some degree, at first impede its progress;
but, however, so powerful did novelty plead in favour of India teas,
that, at last, general custom and prejudice bore away every barrier
that had been erected by these learned and experienced physicians. This
error, instead of diminishing, has increased: most valetudinarians are
now of opinion that a thick blood is the sole cause of their
complaints; with this impression they adopt what they call the diluent
beverage of India teas. It can scarcely be imagined how many disorders
this practice produces; it may be justly termed the box of Pandora,
without eve