The Alarming Effects of Absinthe on Guinea Pigs

Taken from his book Discours D'un Capitaine A Ses Soldats, there follows part of a lecture by Captain Jacob of the 109th Infantry, warning his Gallic troops to the evils of absinthe.

Jacob describes a demonstration in which a guinea pig was injected with a 1/4 of a cubic centimetre of absinthe essence:

'At first it seems thunderstruck. It remains fixed in one place as if stunned. At the end of two or three minutes there follow on this stupor the most frightening agonies. Suddenly it stiffens its paws, and then makes, all at once, a prodigious leap in the air. The poor little creature, ordinarily so harmless, takes on an entirely unexpected expression of ferocity. It resembles an hydrophobic animal with its convulsed face, its twisted lips covered with foam. In its eyes - wide open, haggard, convulsive, mad, one reads an impulse to kill.'

Killer Guinea pig? The description continues toward its terrible end:
'It is now prey to hallucinations. Directly its spine curves in a half-circle. Its members and whole body are thrilled with shocks interrupted by plaintive cries. Then a brief moment of calm. The attack recommences, showing at each fresh crisis signs of accumulated violence.' The poor beast finally dies after half an hour of agony.

An Experiment that Proves Absinthe is Beneficial to Frogs

Scientists have been trying to understand the effects of the green fairy for centuries. Here's a bizarre account of an experiment involving fish, frogs and absinthe, as performed by a 19th century scientist named Van Helmont.

'Tank A was filled with three litres of distilled water, chemically pure, boiled and allowed to cool at air temperature; the bottom of the tank was filled with gravel sterilized at 130 degrees Celsius; in the tank were placed two freshwater fish, two saltwater fish, and a frog; a little wooden ladder (sterilized at the same time as the gravel) would permit the frog to leave his tank.

Tank B was filled with three litres of sea water (gathered at Trouville, at the end of the jetty-promenade) and lined with gravel and a ladder as before, and in this tank were put two freshwater fish and a frog.

Tank C was filled with three litres of spring water (Dhuys), gravel and a ladder, and in it were placed two saltwater fish and a frog.

Tank D was filled with three litres of spring water (Dhuys) and one centilitre of sixty degree commercial absinthe. No special brand name. Only a frog was placed in this tank with a ladder and the gravel.'

These were the results:

The four fish in tank A died; the frog left to lodge himself in tank D.
The two fish in tank B died; this frog also went to tank D
The two fish in tank C died; the third frog joined his colleagues in tank D.

Van Helmont concluded:

Distilled water, chemically pure and boiled, is a poison since the four fish plunged in it died quickly; the frog did not give his last salute because he climbed the ladder in a lively manner and took refuge in Tank D.
Sea water is a poison, since the two fish placed in it died quickly; the frog left hastily.
Spring water is a poison, since the two fish put in it also died.
Spring water with a small quantity of absinthe spirits is a very clean environment because the two frogs took refuge there and seemed to stay there with pleasure.'