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Show DRINKERS OF COfrtE. Chronic Coffee Poisoning Much More Common than Supposed, A New York doctor says his observation has shown beyond question that chronic coffee poisoning poison-ing is much more common than is generally supposed. The symp toms are usually confounded with alcoholic disturbance, he says, because be-cause coffee dyspepsia bears a striking strik-ing resemblance to alcoholic dyspepsia. dys-pepsia. There is the same disgust for food, morning expectoration of mucus, and marked anorexia. This disgust foi food increases in severe cases until the patient can only take coffee or bread soaked in coffee. Nausea follows, and the patient becomes emaciated. Insomnia Inso-mnia is a marked symptom, or, if sleep occurs, terrifying dreams detract de-tract from its benefit. Trembling of the entire body, especially of the lips and tongue is noticeable. Even the cramps in the limbs which accompany alcohalic poisoning poison-ing frequently occur. An effort of the confirmed coffee drinker to become a tolal abstainer is almost similar in result to that which follow the abandonment of alcoholic alcoho-lic liquors. For the time the ner-. ner-. vous system is wrenched. An inebriate in-ebriate asylum never contained more pitiable suffering than that of has indulged in his favorite beverage be-verage to excess. The discovery regarding coffee drinking explains why a person who suddenly abandons aban-dons alcoholic drinks is always advised to take strong coffee. It is a noticeable fact that almost every "reformed drunkard" is a confirmed drinker of coffee in its strongest form. Often a man takes a "cocktail" to freshen his appetite appe-tite for breakfast. This object is attained because alcohol stimulates the stomach. After a heavy dinner din-ner the same man will drink a cup of black coffee as an "-iid to digestion." diges-tion." The effect of a cocktail aud coffee is the same. One stimulates stimula-tes the stomach t activity before eating, the other urges it to greater grea-ter rapidity of action to dispose of the food and drink with which it has been overloaded. Every person per-son who has indulged in liquor, not wisely, and in too great amount, amo-unt, knows that nothing will woo back the fleeing senses like a cup of strong coffee. Is it because of of that old medical theory that one poison is an antidote for another? Millennial Star. . |