Note 382 — PHARMACOLOGIA. (continued 2)

Hard water has a tendency to produce diseases in the spleen of certain animals, especially sheep: this is the case in the eastern side of the island of Minorca, as we are informed by Cleghorn. The mischievous tendency of bad water, where it cannot be corrected by some chemical process, would seem to be best counteracted by bitter vegetables. Virey supposes that this circumstance first induced the Chinese to infuse the leaves of the tea plant.