Omaha daily bee., 1907-04-27
NEW AMERICAN PERIL
Alarming Increase In the Use of
Abainthe Observed in This
Country.

"Absinthe, the green terror Of France"
said a botanist Of the Agricultural depart
ment rs now being produced in consider
able quantities in this country, and is being
used to an alarming degree.
I'm some parts of Wisconsin the worm
wood is being cultivated, and It IS from
this plant that the oil IL distilled for MAX
ing the green terror 1t is necessary to
give the cultivation Of wormwood great
care, and a certain age OF growth must be
reached before 1t is suited for dlstilling
the oil. an oil which is almost worth Its
weight in gold. Climatic changes have
resulted In making certain portions Of Wis
consin favored spots for the cultivation
OF NORWOOD, and now there are several
NORWOOD farms in that state. There is
a secret, however, in its cultivation which
is carefully guarded by the pioneers, and
the consequence is that a number OF grow
ers are unsuccessful in raising a plant
which will produce the oil in paying guam
titles. The plan Of sowing the seed broad
cast has been abandoned, and now the sue
cessful growers plant I'm rows or drills,
eultivating as they would corn or tobacco.
1t is just before the plant has reached ma
turity that it is cut down and sent to the
distillery. where the oil IL taken from the
Of heat the exact process OF which I am
not familiar.
"The Wisconsin growers OF wormwood
and dstillers OF the oil at first shipped
nearly all their output to Europe, but now
they fnd a good and ready market for II
in this country. and at almost fabulous
prices. The oil is employed in many ways
but its chief uses are in making absinthe
and liniments. The penetrating powers Of
the oil is simply wonderful, When applied
to the surface II works It's way right to
the bone, and this makes Il exceedingly
valuable In compromising strong 1niments.
'"rhe by-product OF absinthe is already
an awful curse. A person under the infiu-
ence OF the drug experiences the most
pleasant dreams and Imagining; but like
all excuses. Il 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. con-
vulsions. .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 absinthe
gained In France that the government Ii
exerting every EFFORT to suppress its sale
an undertaking which, ! fear. will never b
accomplished
The use OF absinths In America is In
/ creasing every day, and the rank poison
Is kept in nearly every saloon In city and
village. A few drops In glass Of whisky
win make the average drinker think anG
feel that he owns half the earth with I
good chance OF getting the other half 1
he takes another drink Of Il Just a drop o
absinthe,' is what fully one half OF Tn
present-day drinkers, and especially anon
the upper classes, will say 10 the bartsnde
when he orders a drink. Two or tire
| drinks with Just a drop OF absinthe vii
cause the drinker 60 8et IA that e1nditio