The Absinthe Murder 

Hope everyone likes the new set for Drinking History! Still a work in progress, but then aren’t we all?

Moral panics have to be one of the most fascinating aspects of humanity, where everyone in one point in time suddenly gets worked into a collective anxiety attack that this one thing is responsible for most of society's ills, and a few decades later, everyone calms down and goes "Oh, well, I guess absinthe/comic books/booze/video games/movies/jazz/etc isn't all that bad... whew... but wait... MAYBE THIS OTHER THING IS?"

I laughed so hard when he was painting this picturesque scene of a guy waking up in a serene farmhouse and going downstairs to have a cup of coffee, but instead pours a glass of absinthe because “If there’s one thing to remember it’s that he was a violent and raging alcoholic” 😂😂😂

When I was a kid everyone thought absinth was some illegal psychedelic drug because of that bad teen movie

After my great-aunt passed away we were looking through her glassware and we found a set of four old, strange glasses with a bulb on the bottom. No one else cared about them, but they didn't know what they were. They were original French Absinthe glasses, and we found the "spoon" in a silverware drawer, so I took it as well (my cousin thought it was a small spatula). Apparently there had been a lot more going on in my great aunt's past than her own children knew about. 🤨😆

Never had absinthe, but the moral panic around it has always fascinated me.

My dyslexic brain reading “The Absent Mother”, like wow, Max, hitting too close to home

The funny thing about absinthe, is that other things that contain wormwood didn't got prohibited like Vermouth, Bäsk, Pelinkovac, Génépy, etc.

I love how much effort he puts into pronouncing things correctly

I come from the region in Switzerland where Absinthe originated from, but it also got banned for quite a while here in Switzerland. But if you knew a guy who knew a guy, you could always get your hands on it. My grandfather still hides his absinthe even though it's legal again.

Wow, he actually went out and bought an absinthe fountain for this episode. The absolute madlad!

Well, you know what they say, "Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder." 😉 I made my own absinthe once, because I had all the ingredients growing in my herb garden. I hate the taste of licorice, so I left the anise out. It came out really good, and packed a hell of a punch! I made enough to have lots of small bottles made up for my friends, with a little tag on the bottle illustrated with the stamp of a green fairy.

I grew a taste for absinthe when I was stationed in Germany and we would actually get it at the local bar we would frequent. When I got out the Army, living in southern Louisiana, I found that a brewery in New Orleans started making absinthe again and started buying locally made absinthe, instead of imported versions from France and Czech Republic. I quit drinking a few years ago, but if I were to have a drink I'm pretty sure it would be a single glass of absinthe.

A soldier was caught deserting his camp and hiding in a wormwood grove. When he was brought before the sergeant, Sarge said to him "You're AWOL, Private. Absinthe without leave."

Wormwood is what gives absinthe its name. The scientific name for wormwood is Artemisia absinthium. It's a very hardy and resilient plant that can grow almost anywhere. The Kirlia plush tucked in the back is a nice reference to absinthe's nickname: la fée verte.

I'm growing lemon balm right now. It's quite delicious in tea. It sort of reminds me of lemon drop candy but not nearly as sour. It's also supposedly good for anxiety. However, it can supposedly lead to some side effects such as increased appetite. It is part of the mint family, so if you or anyone else is allergic to mint they should talk to their health care practitioner before using it. And it can take over your garden if you aren't careful. I have them in planters at the moment.

i’ve been following this channel for a while and i gotta ask: WHERE do you keep all your pokémon plushes? how many do you have?? every episode you have a _different_ little guy sitting somewhere in frame i’m fascinated by them just as much as the food/drinks you discuss and make

Jean Lanfray: (drinks half his weight in various alcohol, especially wine, and shoots his family over unwaxed boots 👢) The people following the trial: It was the absinthe! There is NO other way this could’ve happened! Vineyard owners: 😉 🍷

I love absinthe and watching the process. In Australia we have strict rules on wormwood and what wormwood is allowed. A distillery in Queensland created their own Australian version of Absinthe. It’s got the best name. “Moulin Roos”

O Henry wrote a story called “The Fool Killer”, where an absinthe drip is one of the principal characters. He describes it almost as a person, entrancing the narrator with its witchy ways. Good story too.

Probably already mentioned, but let us remember that "absinthe makes the heart grow fonder"

if this had come out sooner I would've shown this along with my absinthe presentation I held in art history class!!

“Mine only has 2” As if owning one is not enough of a flex

It's a funny thing, Max. I despise anise and other licorice flavorings, yet love absinthe almost as much as I love red wine. Lovely stuff.

Finally tried absinthe in the big easy last year at ‘the olde absinthe bar’. I really enjoyed it and got an immediate buzz. The bartender lit the sugar cube on fire. The drama of the presentation was really fun!

The history part is my favorite. This series really is extraordinary, I can’t believe its free content.

I definitely prefer my absinthe without sugar. I think at this point I've had about a dozen different traditional and new-style absinthes. Incidentally, enhancing the colour of cheap/fake absinthe using copper sulfate as a colouring was only one of the problems with it. Another was the use of antimony perchloride, another toxic heavy-metal compound to enhance the louche. But the biggest problem, which isn't often mentioned, was the alcohol used for the cheaper stuff. Proper absinthe uses _marc_ as the base for distillation, which is also known as "wine spirits", and is distilled from grape pomace similarly to grappa. The cheap stuff, even when it didn't use toxic heavy metal colourants, was commonly made with industrial ethanol, which was very often contaminated with methanol and other toxic alcohols and distillation byproducts.

As a Dutch person, i can tell you, i´m impressed with your pronunciation of Vincent van Gogh. Most English speaking people pronounce it as `Van Go`.

absinthe plants grow abundantly in certain regions in Switzerland, there are multiple breweries that make local absinthe as well, theyre all different in they own special way, i really recommend that if you like absinthe (ive found either you love it or you hate it) making a tour of the areas in Switzerland if you can!

Thanks for this. As the owner of the Wormwood Society, I've been saying much of the same thing for the past 25 years. It's amazing how many people don't want to believe that what we can obtain now is the same as what was drank during the Bslle Epoque, I stead holding onto these grandiose ideas of tripping or other drug like effects. I like that you added in the description of absinthism, but one thing that I think would have made the dispelling of the myths even strong was the rebuttal by The Lancet right around the same time that Magnan coined the term, which in reality was a description of the DTs and end-stage alcoholism: The Lancet in 1868 - “It is quite clear that a great deal of what has been said [about absinthe] is mere nonsense, and will not bear a moment's investigation. And when one reads carefully even the seemingly authoritative description of the symptoms … it is impossible to fix on any definite peculiarities which clearly distinguish poisoning with absinthe from poisoning with any other concentrated alcohol, taken in small doses repeated with extreme frequency… For our own part, we have never been convinced that there is anything in the symptoms of acute or chronic absinthism as they are described, essentially different from those of acute or chronic alcoholism... We have repeatedly seen the whole train of symptoms, which are now so much talked of, produced by the constant drinking of brandy or rum. As for hallucinations, there is nothing more common [in end-stage alcoholism]…”

Another thing: absinthe turns cloudy when adding water because it's getting diluted and the compounds extracted from the anise by the alcohol become suspended rather than dissolved. And to keep them dissolved, it requires a high amount of alcohol. Absinthe is around 70% alcohol.

Great episode! I haven't bought Absinthe for about 15 years, but when I did, I ordered it from Europe (ship to US) from a shop that is no longer around. I did months of research on Absinthe before I took the plunge and bought several bottles to try. Note, the US laws are strange concerning Absinthe. You could buy Absinthe (mail order) but you could not sell it in a store or bar. In the old La Fee Verte forum, people went apeshit over those who lit their drinks on fire, al la Eurotrip and Johnny Depp in From Hell. Or, fielding questions from people who wanted to "Trip Balz." A few pointers for those who are interested in trying/buying Absinthe. 1. Don't buy Absinthe that was made in a land-locked country (Switzerland is the exception). Czech Absinthe is novelty garbage. Save yourself some money and buy a bottle of Nyquil, instead. When first starting, look for French, Spanish, and Swiss. 2. ABSINTHE. NOT Absente, Absenta, or Absinth. Those are not real Absinthe. They lack Wormwood/Thujone. 3. Don't buy the stuff that's sold in liquor stores in the US. It's not the same as the stuff sold in Europe. It lacks Thujone. 4. Find an online dealer from Europe to buy the real thing. World of Absinthe has a nice selection. I recommend the Absinthe Jade Nouvelle Orleans. It's very smooth. It was one of my favorites. It's expensive and the shipping will get you. I used to make $500 orders to justify the shipping. 5. Before jumping in, find out if you like the taste first. Get a bottle of Pernod Pastis and give it a try. Chances are, if you already like Ouzo, you'll like Absinthe. 6. Try it without sugar, first. Some Absinthes are very sweet and adding sugar will only make it sickeningly sweet. I prefer without. 7. Know your limit! In those days, I could binge drink over 30 beers in 5-6 hours (Just beer. And I'm a woman), but 6 glasses of Absinthe was my limit (no other booze involved). Any more, and I'm power barfing in technicolor. It sneaks up on you. 8. Do your research. 9. I hope this helps someone get their feet wet. 10. Enjoy your Absinthe!

this video was so cool, the absinthe having an anise flavor and turning opaque reminds me of a drink we have in lebanon, arak!!! it also turns from clear to cloudy and tastes like anise:]

dutch speaker here (flemish, not from the netherlands), can confirm your pronunciation of Van Gogh is very good! i'd even say it's the best one i've heard from a native english speaker thus far

Great episode. But I can't believe Max made it through the whole thing without making the "absinthe makes the heart grow fonder" pun.

I got to try absinthe for the first time while visiting New Orleans and absolutely loved it! My folks got be a beautiful fountain to go with my art deco style. An absinthe rinsed glass for prosecco is a lovely twist to the classic absinthe drip Thank you for the history lesson!

I love the taste of anise, though I’ve never had absinthe. I have had another anise-flavored liquor which is Italian, though, called sambuca, and this also creates a ouzo effect when combined with water. Love your channel, btw!

Melissa leaves (lemon balm) have a mild lemon-mint flavor/smell. I have lots growing in front of our house and it is great to add to water, mixed drinks, tea, etc. I've even made a cake using lemon balm. Just grab one or two leaves and rub them in your fingers to release the oils. They grow like weeds (and come back every year) and are great ground cover.

A few years ago, my mom got very upset that I brought absinthe home. I had to explain to her that most, if not all, of what she had heard about it was false 😂

At uni, my mate used to order absinthe online- proper stuff with wormwood. We did the whole sugar/spoon/flame thing and, usually, treated the drink with respect. From what I recall, it was incredibly refreshing - 'fresh' tasting and 'clean', if that makes sense. I don't remember getting smashed off it, though that probably says it all...

I have had some delicious absinthe about 20 years ago. I was barely able to drink legally and was intimidated by it's supposed danger so I drank very little but didn't want to pass up the chance lo. It was still illegal and someone had brought it back from Germany. I enjoy learning more of the history.

You know what they say: 'Absinthe makes the heart grow fonder".

Hell yeah ! Fabulous french pronounciation Max as always ! Pro tip : the absinth fountain with sugar and spoon is a perfect way of getting completely smashed but elegantly and quite slowly, with time between servings, during New Year's Eve ! 20/20 (as we score here), je recommande ✅

Absinthe has a long history in the Czech Republic too. In Prague there’s a café called Café Slavia where all the famous Czech philosophers, authors, and artists during the 1880s would gather to drink absinthe and discuss things. Plus, supposedly the fire-ritual of dipping a sugar cube in absinthe and setting in on fire, before dropping it in and waiting for the fire to die out, or extinguishing it by just diluting it with water, originated in Bohemia (now the Czech Republic)

Believe it or not, my first-hand knowledge of absinthe came from Anne Rice's vampire novels! 😆 For years I thought absinthe was some kind of forbidden cocktail that only the sexy vampires drank!😂

Great video as always. A famous cocktail with Absinthe is "Death in the Afternoon'" also called Hemingway Champagne. I've had it, and it's definetly one of my favourites. For the recipe, the author can be quoted : "Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly."

Absinthe, Vermouth and Anisettes were the drink of choice of my elder relatives as it is sweet and gentle in flavour and can be watered down, so allegedly you wouldn't get drunk with it. I say "allegedly" because... you know, if you drink enough aperitifs before eating, you'll get tipsy alright. Still, it was considered a civilised drink to have before lunch or dinner. I don't know if it had any wormwood in it. On a side note, all the artemisia family have poisons in them from very mild to strong depending on the species. It's the reason why many of them were used as vermicide, and sometimes as homemade abortive. Disclaimer: I'm from Europe.

Perhaps one of the green drinks was chartreuse? It’s also a really beautiful green drink but the flavor profile is wildly different. We always just drank it straight from the bottle, but we were also little heathens.

In the Val de Travers in Switzerland, where Absinthe was invented in the 18th century, Absinthe was always available during the ban, under the counter of course. And near fountains and wells in the woods, oftentimes a bottle was hidden, if you knew where to look.

I love seeing the old advertising posters that show "the green fairy" floating above the drinkers and making them happy. I've tried several brands of absinthe (not at the same sitting) and I find that the eastern European ones (Czech mainly) taste different than the western European and US versions.

I first had it on a return to key west in the mid 2000's. The reputation was still going around in whispers but since I didn't have any "vivid dreams" as a result I paid them no heed. Occasionally I would get a bottle at my local specialty liquor / wine store. I probably should buy another bottle, one of these days.

Fantastic! This was a great episode, I grew up with Pernod, it was a favourite treat. That Absinthism La Mort was amazing...Such passion and poetry... I want a t-shirt with that on it!

Welcome back Drinking History!! I've had absinthe in France, I was 15 and my parents weren't around. I did not hallucinate b/c this version had no wormwood in it. I was disappointed at the time, but as an adult, wow, what an idiot I was.

Liking the new setting for Drinking History! Very nice, and that map is great to have in the background.

The fact that its proliferated so much after being illegal for so long truly proves the old saying: Absinthe Makes the Heart Grow Fonder.

The paintings as the background to this video were an exquisite addition

Absinthe is my Drink of Choice, and I would suggest adding water to almost the top of the Glass. A good way to measure if you have the balance of water to Absinthe correct is to watch the louche line. As you're louching, the clear absinthe will sit on top of the louched absinthe and get thinner, the moment it disappears it's ready to drink.

I enjoy black liquorice, so have always enjoyed ouzo and sambuca. Absinthe is just stronger and less sweet. Ice water over the sugar cube gives a great louche and you can better control the sweetness (unlike with the former two). I've also had some certified pre-ban. I didn't detect much difference between that and modern.

Why am I just now finding this.. ?! Two of most favorite interests. History and cooking. Brilliant !!!

That’s a fascinating story! I had heard parts of it before but never in the fuller context the way you presented it. Really entertaining and educational. Thanks.

First time I tried Absinthe it was at a Goth club. The bar tender poured the Absinthe first over the cube, then let it on fire before putting it out with the water drip. The fountains were ornate and impressive. I'm not a fan of the flavor, but the aesthetic is magical.

While studying I was living with two French guys and they showed the street version of this (they called it Wolf's Milk, if I recall correctly): no sugar, a shot glas of Pernod to a pint glas of ICE COLD water. It's also murky, greenish white and though the alcohol is watered down extremely the flavour is still there and it makes the most refreshing summer drink I know of.

Melissa/Lemon Balm tastes like lemon and sage, together. Where I live, we also call it Lemon Sage. It's very easy to grow. And it can easily take over gardens and flower beds.

When I first tried absinthe, I was studying abroad in the UK around the time they re-legalized it in the US. A few friends and I bought a bottle for the novelty ("that stuff that we always heard was illegal") and had no idea how to drink it. So we tried it neat. I'll never forget that toothpaste-napalm flavor.

Here in West Switzerland, Absinthe never really disappeared even when it was illegal. Especially in the Jura region, it was known to be continually made on an artisanal level.

As a Dutch speaker, cheers to the surprisingly accurate pronunciation of Van Gogh. It's not perfect, but better than most English speakers. You said the gh with an actual Dutch g and that made me happy. If you want to make it perfect, make the a more of an "ah" sound and make the first G the same as the gh, and you've got it.

Pastis is also worth a try. Tastes very similar with an aniseed flavour but already has the sugar added, so less faff. Generally it seems to be more commonly drunk in France today where you can get a carafe of ice water and a glass or small caraf of pastise and sitting in the sun in a cafe sipping away is a great way to pass a summer afternoon.

You are such an incredibly great match for this equally incredible series! So much fun watching you!

I bought a spoon in an antique store once and just thought it was cool. It was over 100 and I bought it for around $1. I didn’t know until later it was an absinthe spoon. One of my friends told me it was considered “drug paraphernalia”…later I found out it’s not. Btw I love the blue walls!!!

Something interesting I discovered, is that after you store an opened bottle of Pernod, the Anissed Taste lessens, and other herbs "appear". However, the Louche seems to lessen as well.

One thing that comes up to my mind about your set is that there could be a luminous spot with a plain white background, just so it shows colors better on camera. This is used in sommellerie to see the full color of a wine.

Used to drink it in Canada, just across the way/river. A coffeeshop sold it and had a few types, including Pernod, and you could mix/put out the sugar cube fire with water or... Pop. Absinthe with ginger ale is surprisingly great.

That's the first time I've heard about dilluting absinthe with water... In Poland and Bohemia it is drunk warm - You put the absinthe spoon over the empty glass, you put on a sugar cube or two, you pour absinthe over it and set it on fire. When the fire starts dying out you pour some more, until all the sugar carmelises and falls into the glass (usually setting the liquid inside aflame as well). Then you cover the glass to put the fire down and you drink before the fumes escape. It's warm, it's nice, it hits hard. Having it any other way feels weird. :) Although I would be interested to try it in a Bunnyhug coctail.

Your pronunciation of van Gogh is almost spot on! You nailed the Gogh part that most English speakers struggle with, and the van part is pronounced a bit more like the German Von (as in Von Braun) but a bit harder. As a Dutchman myself it delighted me to hear someone actually pronounce it like this =]

Great video! With a replica absinthe like Jade, you would have gotten WAY more complexity than just the licorice flavor. The Pernod absinthe is pretty rough and one-note, coasting on the historic brand name.

It's great to hear so much about drinks I've never heard of. Good work taking it to the Max.

Since Adam Ragusea recently did a video on anise flavors and briefly covered the science of absinthe becoming cloudy, I hoped you would make an episode on absinthe! I love to see the perspective each of you bring to the table for this fascinating drink.

Recently started drinking Absinthe as my spirit of choice after having some at my fathers residence. Tried buying an Absinthe fountain but found that they apparently are backloged for awhile cause the companies that sell them have to leak check them since the spigots usually have something stupid like a 70% chance of leaking if they don't do the check themselves. As a glassblower though I've been entertaining the idea of "well If I can't buy one, I'll make one." and still am trying to design something that not only looks good but is easy to clean. Maybe even throw in some color options while I'm at it. It's intresting seeing the spirit come back to the states.

Accidentally discovered this channel as trying to watch something before to bed. It was a random recommendation from watching a lot of “How to cook that”. Loving the food history. Now I wonder how many Pokémon plushies you owned. You always have the perfect Pokémon to match each video that I seen so far.

Your dedication to this channel is impressive!

I’m thrilled to come across this video! As someone who makes absinthe content regularly (reviews of individual modern brands, pre-ban, and vintage absinthe, as well as educational videos), this video was such a breath of fresh air! Very factual, and I loved the focus on the political implications behind the absinthe ban. Some people will never be convinced that absinthe wasn’t hallucinogenic, and I really appreciate you quashing that misconception in this presentation. Your video was such a breath of fresh air because you didn’t plant any implications or false ideas in the viewers heads like many other people do. If you’re interested in trying some better brands of absinthe, I highly recommend Lucid, La Clandestine, Angélique, and anything by Jade Liqueurs (pricey, yes, but as close to pre-ban absinthe as you’ll get in the modern era). As someone who has had Pre-Ban Pernod made in 1900, I can honestly say that they don’t make it the same way now as they did in the pre-ban era. That was quite the experience that I’ll never forget. I think that the difference between now and then has more to do with the brand owners investing less in making a quality product and more on marketing and relying on their brand’s name and reputation instead of them “taking the magic ingredient out”. Loved the videos! I recommended it to my followers if they want to watch and share it! Santé! 💚🥰

Funnily enough, the Pernod "substitute" for Absinthe with anise is now a very common and well liked drink in France ! It's called "Pastis, and it's the perfect apéritif in summer 😊

I love your content! I am a huge history dork and I am a caterer, between your recipes and drinks you will make my Dungeons and Dragons group very happy. Thank you so much!

The fact that I just now found you saddens me... but what makes me happy is that I can binge the backlog of missed episodes!!!

Hi Max - I was surprised that you never mentioned the Czechoslovakian link where it was drunk during the first republic and became (and remained) popular from 1989 onward after the revolution. There is a specific type here, which is Absinth without the "e" and also without the anise - making it bitter but much stronger - so it ends up needing the sugar cube. Also the sugar cube was invented in Moravia. Oops - rabbit hole - I'm late I'm late......

Very well done! As someone who has drank absinthe for 20 years now, and who knows a lot of its history, I'd say that your video is among the best on the subject. The modern Pernod Absinthe is most likely an oil mix, that is, alcohol is not distilled with the herbs but oils are cold-mixed into the base alcohol instead. That is a historically correct way of making absinthe, but it is not the original method that Pernod used before the ban. Actually, it is more like the Spanish Pernod oil-mix absinthe of the 1960s (absinthe was never banned in Spain) Some producers moved there after the ban in their countries. Today, there are small distillers who make authentic absinthe by batch-distilling anise, fennel and wormwood plus some other herbs per whatever recipe they use and then coloring the product with melissa and Artemisia pontica (Roman wormwood). If you can get Montana or Philippe Lasala, those are IMO "authentic Spanish 1960s oil mixes", quite drinkable. Edit: While it is legal to make your own oil-mixes wherever alcohol is legal, I would advise against it. Essential/aromatherapy oils are not meant for flavoring anything that will be swallowed. And even less would I advise anyone to distill their own absinthe... leave it to trained professionals (or clandestine distillers of Switzerland)!

I really appreciate all the research you put into these videos.

Great video, Max! I'm a little late checking this out but I have been a fan of french absinthe, especially Pernod. I used to have it using one of my absinthe fountains, spoons and sugar cubes. The past few years, however, I have been using it in cocktails. My favorite being Death in the Afternoon (aka the Hemmingway). The Green Fairy isn't for everyone but it is my absolute favorite liqueur

I always wondered why there's such a fascination with absinthe in the Goth community, Alchemy Gothic (a brand that's been around since the 1970s and who make really pretty things with which to adorn yourself or your home) have made various absinthe related things over the years, and bands I listen to have written songs about it. I'm more than happy with gin, although that too has a dark history. I'm going to try proper absinthe eventually, I don't think the bright green concoction I had a few years ago was the real thing.

Love the inclusion of the different countries method making absinthe. The beautiful irony of the Bible verse for the 'Devil's' drink too!

"Half the Frenchmen will be occupied putting straitjackets on the other half" great quote right there. Ridiculous and farcical, but hilarious.

In the Footsteps of van Gogh is is the most interesting documentary I've ever seen. I've watched the whole thing four times. It's really cool in particular because of all the "supplemental" stuff you learn about van Gogh that helps you understand the popular narrative of his life. It completely recontextualized his Christmas-eve cutting of his ear, his relationship with his parents and siblings, and his place in the art scene at the time. Can't recommend it enough!

Hi Max, perhaps you could do another absinthe cocktail sometimes called death in the afternoon, it was Hemingways favorite! I love also how composers like Satie and Debussy were Absinthe drinkers haha!

I've been enjoying absinthe for many years started out 18, now 36, I must of gotten through 100s of types/ brands by now and the one I always go back to is Hapsburg Super Deluxe its 85% and comes in a 50cl bottle and often comes with the absinthe spoon attached to the bottle, I have a vintage fountain and glasses

This is the first video of yours on a topic that I was already extremely familiar with. I still learned quite a bit of very interesting history. Also good choice going with Pernod. It's easily my favorite brand.

I've only recently found your channel and I am obsessed with it!

I remember drinking home made absenth in France, in Bretagne's countryside, while it was still officially banned in shops. I drank it pure, not dilluted with water. Not very posh, but effective. Got very drunk that night but didn't have headache or anything next day. Good memories of my absenth experience.

A paper I wrote for University (I studied History, of course, lol) was about male hysteria, a very interesting phenomena, which was mostly written about by French doctors, expecially a famous one called, I believe, Champillion (I'm too lazy to look him up and it hase been a couple of decades), who described 'hysteria patients' who exhibited exactly the kind of 'symptoms' as described in 'absintism'. Now, it's possible that there was something going on (such as the poisoning of food or wallpaper or whatever) that was ascribed to 'hysteria', but there is also a very well-known and well-documented phenomena of impressionable patients subconsciously (or even consciously because surely monsieur le doctor knew best) displaying the exact symptoms the doctor wanted. Anyhow, while Champillion's other work was translated into English, his writing on male hysteria was not, probably because the English found this 'froggy' notion that men could be so 'effeminate' to have hysteria ludicrous. And then WWI happened and the men that survived suffered from shellshock and well, that put an end, for the most part, to much of the prevailing male hysteria theories. But the absinth 'madness' theories remained in vogue for nearly a century, which is not so strange if one understands that the whole 'madness' narrative was concocted to destroy the drink's popularity by industry rivals. Still, it's interesting to me how the original story about absinte madness fitted so very neatly in then current beliefs about 'hysteria'.

Absinthe has always interested me since I was a kid and read stories with it in them. Absolutely f****** love this one. So glad I found your page through Facebook Reels

I used to have a set of absinthe glasses and a spoon. Got rid of them when I quit drinking. Years later, I wish I hadn't thrown them all out.