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246
DRINKS.
Of
which
Home
Consumpt.
...
183,000,00a
185,250,000
187,940,000
Export
...
...
35,200,000
39,500,000
36,107,000
There
are
three
active
substances
in
tea,
which
we
should
do
well
to
notice
:
Volatile
Oil,
Theine,
and
Tannin.
The
volatile
oil
can
be
distilled
by
ordinary
process,
and
it
contains
the
aroma
and
flavour
of
tea
in
per-
fection.
Its
action
on
the
human
body
is
not
thoroughly
known,
with
the
exception
that
it
is
injurious
in
a
greater
or
less
degree.
The
Chinese
are
well
aware
of
the
fact,
and
will
rarely
use
tea
until
it
is
a
year
old,
thus
allowing
some
of
it
to
evaporate,
and
it
is
prob-
ably
owing
to
this
oil
that
tea-tasters
(who
taste
as
much
by
smell
as
by
palate)
are
subject
to
attacks
of
headache
and
giddiness.
Theine
is
the
principle
which
gives
to
tea
its
power
of
lessening
the
waste
of the
tissues
in
the
human
body,
and,
when
separated
from
the
decoction,
it
forms
an
alkaloid
having
no
smell,
a
slightly
bitter
taste,
and
is
composed
of
colourless
crystals.
It
is
also
an
active
agent
in
Mate
or
Paraguay
tea,
In
coffee
(when
it
is
called
caffeine,
although
identical
In
substance),
in
Guarana,
which
is
used
as
coffee
in
Brazil,
and
in
the
Kola
Nut
of
Africa.
The
third
product,
tannin,
gives
roughness
of
flavour
to
the
tea,
and
is
particularly
developed
by
allowing
the
Infusion
to
stand
a long
time.
It
is
harmless
;
at
least,
its
combination
In
tea
has
never
been
found
to
be
hurtful;
Its
presence
Is
at
once
shown
by
dropping
some
tea
on
the
clean
blade of
a