The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-20
From Pearsons Weekly
~UBLIC men in France are at present
- engaged in desperate struggle
i with that terrible green Demon an

-
| sinthe.
What one may almost describe as ma
tional institution in France is the "aperi-
tif hour" the hour,a usually ABOUT
o'clock in the afternoon when most people
leave off work and take some sort OF ap-
petizer in preparation for dinner In the
great majority of cases this "aperiti1 is
a glass of absinthe, the slow green
poison that drives it's patrons to the mad
house.
Some one has said that "absinthlsm
costs France an army corps every year
and 1t is certainly among the young con-
scripts for the army that the effects OF
the deadly liquor are first felt
Most of the recruits are addicted more
or less to the absinthe habit before they
are called up to serve the colors, ana IL
has been found that in the districts where
absinthe is most popular as many as 90
per cent of the young men called up are
unfit and have to be rejected.
An army OFFICER has declared that in the
Rarrisons are innumerable men physical
ly unfit, the hospitals are filled with IN
valid soldiers, while every prison has an
alarming proportion of insubordsnates.
Curiously enough, it was through the
army that absinthe was first introduced
into France. During the Algerian war
that came to close about 1871. the troops
suffered severely from malaria, and the
army physicians urged the soldlers 10
take a little absinthe as safeguard
| against the fever. The soldiers liked the
favor of the new drink, and continued to
consume large quantities even after their
return to France.
| The vogue of the new drink spread, ana
very soon the manufacture OF absintne oe-
came a fiourishing industry. The liquor
ia prepared by pounding together the
leaves of NORWOOD and some other
herbs and afterward soaking them in al
| &C hol for about week.
When distilled. this compound gives the
emerald-colored liquor that is the cause
OF 80 much misery in France.
Some people are said to drink the green
LIQUOR neat, but 1t is nearly always d.
lrt,l with water. The water is added
ve., slowly in order to avoid a chemical
reaction that would make the tunlbler as
hot as the globe of an electric lamp
The usual way is to place on top OF the
tumbler containing the absinthe saucer
with a hole in the bottom. This hole
having been covered with lump OF SUI
gar the water is poured into the saucer
and allowed to filter slowly through and
drin down amongst the absinthe. Some
times the lump of sugar IL held over the
tumbler in a perforated teaspoon and the
water slowly poured over It.
The mixture produces a grayish, cloudy
liouid. Public opinion In France against
abeinthe has become so strong that the
manufacturers have introduced new
kind in which this cloudy appearance Is
intensified to make the liquor look like
milk, so that the habitue may drink II
without reproach
/ When taken in excess abstinthe quick
i " deranges the digestive organs and de-
stroys the appetite An indispensable
1 thirst takes possession Of the victim. The
next stage produces delusions and unbear'
able mental depression, and, finally
llunacy. sts.,
i Equally horrible is the fate Of the mar
who avoids orgies and drinks his alb
.,nthe in smaller but regular doses. Hi
i face gradually becomes sallow and care
worn. and. his hair begins to drop OF
Next come muscular quiverings. especial
lIv Of the arms and shoulders Loss o.
b-ain power. follows, and he Is haunted
w horrible dreams and delusions. GRAD