ABSINTHE, fib'sinth (Fr., from the I:k. (llpfrOine, a ',Ninth ion. wormwood) A bitter liquor. the base of which is an alcoholic solution of !per tain essential derived from a number of plants. The chief source is a form of worm wood, or absinthium (A rtemisia absin I hiu m (For illustration. sec Plate of ArANTilus.) The leaves and tops of this plant, together with por tions of angelica root 1.1rehangelica offieinalis), sweet-fiag root (.1corus eu la m its) . (lit( any (I'uni/u mariana ), r-anise seeds e( rum ), and other aromatics. are macerated in alcohol for eight days and then distilled. The produet is an emerald-colored liquor, to which anise oil is added, and which constitutes the gen uine French cxtrait Wu/mint/ie. Other absinthe of inferior quality is made from various herbs and essential oils, and adulterations are numerous and deleterious. As adulterants, turmeric and indigo, and in some cases sulphate of copper, have been used, chiefly for the production of the green color in the inferior grades. Two kinds of absinthe are known in commerce, common and Swiss; the latter, prepared from highly concen trated spirits, being the more trustworthy. The chief places of manufacture are Nenclattel in Switzerland and Bordeaux in France. The prod.
act is consumed mostly in France, though large quantities ate exported to the United States. Absinthe was first used by the French soldiers in the Algerian War (1844-1547), who mixed it with their liquor as, a febrifuge. and who later introduced the habit in France. Absinthe-drink ing has become in France so great alt evil that its use has been prohibited in both the army and navy of that nation.
Absinthe when excessively used gives at first a feeling of exhilarated intoxication. Later the digestive organs are deranged, the appetite de stroyed, then thirst, giddiness, ringing in the ears, holleinations of sight, heavy mental op pression, anxiety, loss of brain power, and idiocy may succeed each other. The use of absinthe in duees a condition of alcoholic intoxication plums the poisoning by the essential oils. notably by that known as absinthol, eontained in the worm wood. It is doubtful whether the hideous pic tures frequently drawn are true to life: they probably represent the extremes. Absinthe is, however, much more intoxicating than the or dinary liquors. Consult Mew and Ashton. Drinks of t he World (Ne• York. 11;92). See LIQUEUR; WORNIWOOD: ARTEMISIA.