The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-05-04
THE GREEN MADNESS.
A TALK ON ABSINTH BY ONE WHO
NOTED ITS EFFECTS.

"What do | think of abSlnth! he re-
peatcd, addressing the young man who
had asked the question. why, l think
it's very much like any other liqueur-no
better, no worse; onc-third alcohol, two
thirds water, little fiavoring, and there
you are. Drink enough of it, and it will
make you drunk. Keep that up long
enough, and it will make you crazy. The
same thing would happen if you selected
maraschino or chartrcuse or straight
whisky. But as far as any peculiar, dia-
bolical, brain softening effects are con-
cerned, that's mainly mOonshine. The
Parisians have the best way of drinking
it. You have been in Paris, Ell? Then
of course you know the green hour and
remember how the boulcvardier fills up
his goblet from the carafe until there is
nothing left of the spoonful of absinth
but an opalescent CLEAN when the sun
happens to strike it ut the right angle. l
dare say the stuff does him no good, but l
doubt emphatically whether it does him
any particular harm. What do you think
about it, senorE
The senior, who is really an American
and gets his title by reason Of his dark
complexion and the fact that he makes q
living translating Spanish invoices for
ships and shippers, hesitated before re-
plying. 81 am sorry to disagree with
you, major" he said slowly, but be-
lieve that absinth does produce an effect
upon the brain entirely different and in
fnitely more terrible than any other in
toxicant commonly drank. l believe" he
continued, with his eyes fixed on pellet
of bread which he wasFkneading between
his fingers, that it leads to gradual de-
cay of the faculties, ending in complete
idiocy.
"Of course l am not referring to the
man who takes an occasional ahsinth
frappe or an absinth annisettc, but to
the steady absinth tippler who must
have at least two or three drinks Of it
every day. Why the stuff should be SO
peculiarly destructive | don't pretend to
say, but | am convinced that it effects
some mysterious change i'll the brain It's
sue itself. the end of which. as said be-
fore, is helpless idiocy, the most appalling
fate that can possibly overtakc Il human
being. My opinion is based on considera-
bic observation, but more especially upon
the experience Of n young man with
whom | was once on terms of close init
macy.
This friend of mine" the translator
went on, had made ubSiuth a necessity
before he was really aware that he had
contracted Il habit. lie was what is call
ed moderate drinl:cr who pritlrd himself
upon never being Intoxicated, and as he
liked the peculiar taste of the Equcur he
drifted into the practice of drinking it. to
quote his own words, instead of some
thing stronger lie believed, like you.
major, that there was no special harm in
the stuff and that it was not much more
than favored water.
well, he had been keeping that up for
perhaps three years, steadily increasing
the daily tipplc, when one night Il very
curious thing happened TO him. As he
described it to NE afterward, he was
walking along Canal street with an ac-
quaintancc, chatting ON trivial subjects.
when suddenly he found himself in an
entirely different part of the city. His
companion was still by lis side, talking
pleasantly. and there was absolutely no
sense of transition. 1t was as if he had
closed his eyes on one spot and opened
them OH another n dozen blocks away.
and need hardly say to you that he was
shocked and startled beyond all expires.
sion.
LIZ llItll Edu JttI
terval. but how long it had lasted and of
what had happened i'll the meantime lie
had no idea. \ wave of oblivion, as
nearly as | can express it, had surgcd
backward in his brain and wiped out the
events of at least half an hour, just as
you might pass Il sponge over Il slate.
BY mere chance the ether man did not
observe his agitation. and after Il desprr-
20, -
the thread of the talk again.
This horrible lapse was the first of
many others. which gradually became
more and more frequent. At first my
friend did not attribute them to the abb
smith. but when he attempted TO stop the
liqucur they increased SO ularmingly and
were accompanied by such Il shocking
nervous collapse as to leave no doubt as
to the connection between the seizures
and the habit. For nearly year he lived
in perfect inferno. Sometimes he would
so for several weeks Without an attack.
then two or three would follow in quick
succession and doubt as to what had hap
pened in the last interval kept him in Il
state of incessant and agonized apprehen.
sion.
"Onc day he met an old friend. who alb
ruptly refused his hand and told him nev
er again to speak to him or any mem
Der of his family. He never knew what
had occas;Onod the rebuff and never
dared to ask. but that it was due to some
thing that had occurred during one of his
dreadful sessions of memory was sufIi
GENTLY obvious. | will not tire you With
further details. Suffice it to say that the
tormcnted man finally gathered together
enough fortitude to put himself into an
asylum. where the habit was broken, but
with a shock that left him virtually q
wreck.
"Those are the facts of the case, and
they illustrate fairly well the peculiar in
sidious. brain destroying qualities of the
drink. Moderate or occasional Indulgence
may hot be specially harmful. hut heaven
help the man to whom it becomes indis.
pensable. He has set his foot on Il dark
road. and that way madness lies. New
Orleans Times Democrat.