Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1903-07-27
MORE DRINK ABsIHTHE.
Increasing Use of the Green Terror
Now Made In Wisconsin.

w." WGN~ ~ WISCONSIN,
Absinthe, the green terror of
France" is now being produced in
considerable quantities in this coun-
try, and is being used to an alarming
extent.
In some sections of Wisconsin the
wormwood is being cultivated, and it
is from this plant that oil is distilled
for making absinthe. 1t is necessary
to give the cultivation of wOrmwood
great care, and a certain age or
growth must be reached before it is
suited for distilling the oil, an oil
which is worth its weight in gold.
Climatic changes have resulted in
making certain sections of Wisconsin
favored spots for the growing OF
wormwood, and now there are several
wOrmwOod farms in that state. There
is a secret in its cultivation which is
carefully guarded by the pioneers, and
hence many growers are unsuccessful
in raising a plant which will produce
the oil. The plan of sowing the seed
broadcast has been abandoned, and
now the successful growers plant in
drills or rows, cultivating as they
would corn or tobacco. 1t is just be-
fore the plant has reached maturity
that it is cut down and sent TO the
distillery, where the oil is taken
from the green plant. The oil is ex-
tracted by means of heat, the exact
process Of which 1 am not familiar
with.
The Wisconsin grower of wormwOod
ard distiller of the oil at first shipped
nearly all their output TO Europe, but
now they find a good market for it in
this country, and at almost fabulous
prices. OF course, the drug houses of
America find a ready home market.
The oil is employed in many ways, but
its chief uses are in the making OF
absinthe and liniments. The pene-
trating power of the oil is something
wonderful. When applied to the sur
face it works its way right to the bone
and this makes it exceedingly valuable
in compromising strong liniments.
A person under the influence of the
drug experiences the most pleasant
dreams and imaginings, but like all
excuses it kills the gentle emotions,
freezes kindness, rouses in man the
spirit of the beast, and accOmplishes
more vile deeds than are dreamed Of.
A large drink of absinthe will produce
insensibility, commissions, dilated
pupils, sluggish pulse, and other
serious effects-the after effect often
including trembling hands, arms and
legs, intense thirst, tingling in the
ears, illusions of sight and hearing,
and other horrifying results.
So strong a hold has the use of
absinthe gained in France that the
government has made repeated efforts
to suppress its sale. It's use in
America is increasing every day. The
rank poison is kept by nearly every
saloonist in every city and town. A
few drops in a glass of whisky will
make the average dTinker think and
feel that he owns half the earth and !
that another drink of the same kind
will give him the remainder. "Just a
dash of absinthe" is what many
present day drinkers say to the bar
tender, when they order drink. Two
or three drinks with lust a dash OF
asinthe" will cause the drinker to
get in that condition where he owns
it all, knows everything, wants TO hug
everybody, and is the biggest fool in
seventeen states. When the stuff be-
gins to die out he is on the verge of
a good case of monkey" There is no
drinking schedule so sure of producing
jimjams in short order as "iust a dash
OF abslnthe."
While the Wisconsin manufacturers
of the oil which produces absinthe are
getting a good quality, France will
continue to make the best grade, be
cause the secrets of its manufacture
have been known to them for ages.
This secret has never found its way
into tne laboratories this side of the
the Manufacturing Triune.