The Natural History of the Tea-Tree. With Observations on the Medical Qualities of Tea, and Effects of Tea-Drinking.

Lettsom, John Coakley

ISBN 10: 1108079814 / ISBN 13: 9781108079815

Published by Cambridge Library Collection, 2015

About this Item

This 1772 treatise on tea concludes that it should be avoided, because its enervating effects lead to weakness and effeminacy. Series: Cambridge Library Collection - Botany and Horticulture. Num Pages: 82 pages, 1 b/w illus. BIC Classification: RNF. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational. Dimension: 297 x 210 x 4. Weight in Grams: 220. . 2014. Paperback. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland.

Seller Inventory # V9781108079815

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Natural History of the Tea-Tree. With Observations on the Medical Qualities of Tea, and Effects of Tea-Drinking.
• Publisher: Cambridge Library Collection
• Publication Date: 2015
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1108079814
• ISBN 13: 9781108079815
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: New

About this title

Synopsis

This treatise on the tea bush and the consumption of tea was published in 1772 by John Coakley Lettsom (1744–1815), a physician and philanthropist, whose first action on inheriting his family plantation in 1767 was to free all its slaves. He practised medicine in London, and wrote on topics which he felt would benefit society. The book begins with a description of the plant, using the Linnaean system, discussing tea cultivation and harvesting in China, and the preparation of the leaves for use locally and abroad. In Part II, Lettsom turns to the medical uses of tea, lamenting that so little scientific evidence exists for either its beneficent or its malign properties. After performing various experiments and considering the physical and social consequences of tea-drinking, he concludes that it should be avoided, because its enervating effects lead to weakness and effeminacy, advice which mostly fell on deaf ears.

Book Description

This treatise on the tea bush and the consumption of tea was published in 1772 by John Coakley Lettsom, physician and philanthropist. He describes the botany, processing and use of the plant; however, he concludes that it should be avoided, because its enervating effects lead to weakness and effeminacy.