It was said in The Central Canadian that Green Tea was used by 3/4 of the town in the early 1900s. Regular trips to McDonald’s Tea establishment near the corner of Bridge and Allen Street was the norm for most people. It was the only place in town that sold just tea. No other sundries, no newspapers- just tea.
When one customer was asked at McDonald’s Tea if he would like to sample some of their new black tea, his response was:
“I’d Just as soon drink Senna”.
I just looked up Senna. Egads! No thank you!
So what is Senna?
Senna is a natural medicine containing sennosides that are derived from the leaves of the senna plant. Sennosides irritate the lining of the bowel causing a laxative effect.Senna has been used in alternative medicine as a laxative and an aid to treat constipation.
Not all uses for senna have been approved by the FDA. It should not be used in place of medication prescribed for you by your doctor. There are no regulated manufacturing standards in place for many herbal compounds and some marketed supplements have been found to be contaminated with toxic metals or other drugs.
With files from the Carleton Place and Beckwith Heritage Museum
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