Page 4-Friday, June 13, 1980-The Michigan Daily
S.Korean press,,
public admirable
R EPRESSION REIGNS in South Korea. For
seven months the country has been under a
state of martial law. Politicians and opinion
leaders have been jailed, and student and civilian
uprisings have been quieted by a cascade of
bullets.
The press is under complete military cen-
sureship. Official censors line newspaper offices
ready to ink out any hint of displeasure with the
military government. Foreign publications are
also censored and magazines such as Time and
Newsweek appear for sale void of any mention of
South Korea.
The South Korean press and public are behaving
admirably under the abhorrant repressive con-
ditions they have had to face. The public remains
skeptical of the propagqnda it has been spoonfed
for the past seven months. It has refused to believe
news stories with falsified reports of the number of
protesters ruthlessly murdered by the military.
The widespread skepticism forced the censors to
allow slightly more accurate reports to reach the
public.
The South Korean people have courageously,
refused to buy propaganda books and articles
which are posted for sale in street vendors on city
sidewalks. Passersby have given very little atten-
tion to the military-distributed books expounding
ideals of the late President Park.
The press is secretly and silently fighting for the
heavy censorship of General Chon's government.
While written articles telling of public revulsion to
the recent brutality and repression are too blatant
to slip through the censor's notice, subtle cartoons
hinting at the true feelings of the public have ap-
peared on the front pages of some papers, showing
the struggle of the press to stay alive amidst strict
repression.
If the public and press can keep up the silent vigil
and refuse to bow completely to martial law,
perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope for the
Q. Could you tell me something
about caffeine-how long it's
been around and what its
chemical ingredients and effects
are?
A. Caffeine is a plant product
found in coffee beans, cola beans,
and tea leaves. Caffeine and
theobromine, found in cocoa,
belong to the same family of
compounds called methyl xan-
thines. Caffeine is the methyl
xanthine that causes the most
stimulation of the central ner-
vous system.
This central nervous system
stimulation is the primary reason
we drink caffeine beverages-to
help us become more alert and
counteract boredom, fatigue, and
drowsiness, and to prevent
"highway hypnosis" while on the
road.
The world wide consumption of
coffee is four million tons per
year; more than one-fourth of
that is consumed in the United
States alone. Tea, although not as
popular in the U.S.A. as coffee, is
the world's most popular
beverage after water, and its
popularity is rising in the United
States also.
These beverages have been
around for a long time. Coffee
was discovered about 1,000 years
ago by a goatherd who noticed
his animals prancing around af-
ter chewing on berries from a
bush. He tried some himself, and
enjoyed their ability to conteract
drowsiness.
Tea was discovered much
earlier, about 4,000 years ago. A
Chinese legend is that an Em-
peror, who was boiling his water
for drinking, noticed that after
some tea leaves had accidentally
fallen into the water, a very tasty
beverage was produced.
IHowever, other countries, in-
What are,
caffeine's
special
effects?
cluding India and Japan, lay
claim to the discovery of tea.
When caffeine is ingested,
fatigue and drowsiness are
diminished. Ideas become
clearer, and thoughts flow more
readily and easily. Sensitivity to
sensory stimuli increases, and
motor activity is quickened.
However, some motor skills
which require delicate muscle
Health Service
Handbook
coordination and accurate timing
may be adversely affected.
After drinking a caffeine
beverage or consuming a caf-
feine-containing tablet, it takes
between 30 and 60 minutes to feel
the effects, which may last for
several hours. The caffeine is
metabolized at the rate of 15 per
cent per hour. There are only
about 5 calories per cup of coffee,
excluding any cream and sugar
that is added.
Caffeine concentration varies
among different beverages. Cof-
fee usually has more caffeine
than tea or cola, Concentration
depends on whether it is instant
or freshly prepared, and on
brewing or steeping time. Also,
the amount of caffeine varies
with the type or brand of tea leaf
or coffee bean. As a general rule,
however, tea has one-half to two-
thirds the amount of caffeine as
coffee.
Six ounces of most caffeine
beverages contain between 30
and 150 mg. of caffeine. Check the
following chart for your favorite
beverage:
Coffee (brewed) ....100-150 mg.
(instant) .........60- 85 mg.
(decaffeinated) ....1- 6mg.
Tea ..................30- 70 mg.
Cola (12 ounces) ......35- 72 mg.
Cocoa ....... ......up to 50 mg.
Finally, most people are not
aware that many non-
prescription drugs contain caf-
feine and that as few as two
tablets of these products may
yield as much caffeine as that in
a single cup of coffee. For exam-
ple, Anacin contains 32.5 mg.
per tablet, while Excedrin a
contains twice as much-64.8 mg.
per tablet. The caffeine content of
appetite suppressants and
straight caffeine tablets is con-
siderably higher. For example,
Dexatrim s contains 200 mg.
per tablet and Nodoz a ,100 mg.
Next week-a review of the
side effects, both minor and
serious, associated with ex-
cessive caffeine intake.
Health Service Handbook will
answer a variety of health-
related questions each week on
this page. Questions should be
addressed to Gail Ryan, Univer-
sity Health Service, 207Fletcher
Ave.
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PA5Sle'4G " Hs TQRCN
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PROTESTERS FLEE from the South Korean military. For
seven months the public has lived under a cloud of repressive
military rule.
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