A nice cup of tea in the Regency? Not always

A nice cup of tea in the Regency? Not always

It was all China tea, imported by the East India Company and sold as a monopoly from their warehouses with a 96% ad valorem duty which doubled the price as it arrived into Britain. The Norfolk Chronicle gave its readers this advice in 1818, when Regency Britain was in a poison tea panic. The practice of adulterating Tea by the admixture of the Sloe Leaf, (which being allied to the Laurel, of poisonous quality; is by means new); but as it is to feared that the late detections and punishments will not altogether prevent a repetition of the crime, it may useful describe two leaves, which fortunately have little resemblance to each other.

Source: about1816.wordpress.com