They are all a part of the drug addictions of the race.
For scientific discussion of these various substances I refer you to
technical works. In this chapter will be found only a discussion of
their relation to people's welfare, that is, to health and efficiency.
Coffee, tea and chocolate contain a poisonous alkaloid which is
generally called caffeine. The theine in tea and the theobromine in
cocoa are so similar to caffeine that chemists can not differentiate
them. These drinks when first taken cause a gentle stimulation under
which more work can be done than ordinarily, but this is followed by a
reaction, and then the powers of body and mind wane so much that the
average output of work is less than when the body is not stimulated. The
temporary apparently beneficial effect is more than offset by the
reaction and therefore partaking of these beverages makes people
inefficient. Coffee is very hard on the nerves, causing irritation,
which is always followed by premature physical degeneration.
Experiments of late indicate that children who use coffee do not come up
to the physical and mental standard of those who abstain. The effect on
the adults is not so marked because adults are more stable than
children.
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