Arizona daily citizen., 1901-06-25
TASTE FOR A BAD DRINK.

Our or less esteemed contemporary, the
Los Angeles Times, seems to have contracted severe
prejudice against absinthe and discusses the decline
of absinthe drinking in this ingenious and profound
language:
"Absnthe, the green demon Of wormwood, as
it has been sometimes called brought hosts of
victims under its spell in this country as it formerly
did in European lands. Cases of patients brought
to the verge OF the grave by habitua and inordnate
drinking of absnthe have never been numerous in
American hospitals but the doctors of the Old World
and the New, agree that the absnthe 'fend suffers
as much misery in the long the slave OF opium
or cocaine. There seems to be no serious danger,
however, that the pale green drink will ever work ap
palng rayages in the United States. But it is good
news that in France n change in the taxes on wines
has resulted in remarkable decrease in the
sumption OF absinthe white wines largely taking the
place OF the extract of wormwood.'
We are glad to know that the absinthe habit is
gradually decreasing. more villianous taste can
not be imagined, nor is the effect either wholesome
or agreeable. Of course obsinthe is not the only
decocton the inordinate drinking of which will bring
its votares to the hospital and tn, madhouse Bran
dy, whisky, gin, rum, vodka tequa, mescal-almost
any good hot stuff will undermine mans constitution
after while if taken in immoderate quantities. Men
have dropped dead after drinking tumberful of
whisky. The spectacle of an Aztec child c AIDED to
the guards with aguardi"nte is far from reassuring
We doubt whether absnthe is 80 very deadly as the
esteemed Los Angeles Times seems to imagine Reg
uar and habiual absinthe drinkers have been known
to go crazy, but how do know they not crazy
from the beginning? Besides, delrium tremens,
mania potu, and similar seizures are not at all un-
common among peoples who have never tasted alb
sinthe in their lives
Our impression is that the decline of the habit
may best be traced to the gradual extinction of the
lunatics who originally gave it vogue. 1t is in-
credible that any person Of sound mind and whole
physique should adopt absinthe steady drink.
Even when it is properly prepared-and not more
than one mxologist in a hundred knows the secret,
but there is of them in this town. Ernest Abadie,
it is abomnable to the palate, more sckening than
the rhobarb of squalling youth, and quite as Of
fensive quinine AS beverage it is nauseat-
ing That it has certain medicinal value we do
not deny. To the a-nighter, creeping to cover by
the rosy dawn with parched throat blear eyes, throb-
bing temples, and violent and gloomy stomach, a
dose of absinthe prepared by master hand is benef-
cent beyond words. Really, however, we think that
absnthe has other virtue as dose and even then
it is infinitely inferior to good many other things
we could think of in an emergency.
We do not believe that absinthe has ever been
serious menace to mankind. 1t may have killed off
few lunatics and idiots but that can hardly be re
garded calamity. For the rest, it has too vile a
taste to find much favor with drinking men who can
get whisky wine or beer. Absinthe will become
popular beverage about the same time as IIunyad
water or castor oil.