I am not sure where I obtained the following quotation but it has to do
with women protesting the popularity of coffee houses in London in the
late 1600s from which women were barred.  I believe that it came from a
petition to Parliament as it was stuck in some notes I gathered in 1989
reading old newspapers in the British Museum (library at that time).  I
wonder what it would do to the market for coffee if this rumor was revived!!
 "...coffee makes men unfruitful, causes domestic disorders and
interferes with business as the men spend idle time and too much money
at such houses."    cheers, Jim

--
James R. McIntosh
Professor & Chair
Department of Sociology & Anthropology
Lehigh University
681 Taylor Street
Tel. 610 758 3809
Fax: 610 758 6552