-------------------==== Posted via Deja News ====-----------------------
http://www.dejanews.com/ Search, Read, Post to Usenet
Interesting coincidence: I just read a couple days ago about somebody who
killed themselves trying to make absinthe. Apparently he used wormwood
massage oil. The article noted that many countries had banned the sale of
absinthe, but I guess you can get the essential ingredients, at least in
Canada? Or the question is: Is it the correct ingredient?
But to your question, I would start at their theraputic use dosage: that way
you should be safe with up to three glasses a day. If it's too strong
to drink, reduce it! But I would be cautious about going stronger. A
triple dose once a day will probably have very different effects than
a regular dosage 3 times a day.
Out of curiosity, what is it claimed to be theraputic for? And is it a
unregulated, unmonitored, possibly uncertain-quality-controlled 'dietary
supplement'?
Stuart
Kay
-- kay at http://www.herbcare.com
or
-- slade at http://www.pensys.com/pages/slade=20
austin...@utoronto.ca wrote in article =
<8749865...@dejanews.com>...
> I'm trying to make absinthe from wormwood tincture, but can't
>figure out how much to use. Recipes say two spoonfulls of herb per
>pint, 4.4 mL essential oil per drink etc. My tincture is 1:2
>maceration, so I'd expect it to be pretty strong, but the bottle says =
to
>take 20 drops three times a day for "theraputic use". Any suggestions?
>Thanks.
>Austin.
>
>-------------------=3D=3D=3D=3D Posted via Deja News =
=3D=3D=3D=3D-----------------------
But to your question, I would start at their theraputic use
dosage: that way
you should be safe with up to three glasses a day. If it's too
strong
to drink, reduce it! But I would be cautious about going
stronger. A
triple dose once a day will probably have very different effects
than
a regular dosage 3 times a day.
Out of curiosity, what is it claimed to be theraputic for? And is
it a
unregulated, unmonitored, possibly uncertain-quality-controlled
'dietary
supplement'?
Stuart
Probably therapeutic for getting stoned to bejeesus.
Absinthe was an emerald green concoction that was popular in the
mid-1800's. Many famous writers, poets and artists were
supposedly hooked on the stuff. What is unclear today is if they
were hooked on the drug in absinthe (a substance with a similar
chemical makeup as that of THC) which was present in small
amounts, or if they were just a bunch of drunks.
I did some checking around the net a couple weeks ago, following
some sort of finding I made while looking through beer recipe
ingredients and flavorings involving wormwood and why it should
be avoided. Today, true absinthe is only found in a couple of
European countries. Some claim that a drunk on this stuff is
much different than your normal booze high. I don't know, and
don't care to find out. Most of the reports I read seem to
indicate that whatever is in true absinthe isn't very good for
you. Kind of like you can probably get a good buzz on by
drinking Drano, but you wouldn't want to.
--
<clink>
Prost!
Mike Kohn
GBC
http://userpages.itis.com/vsca
For auto e-mail strippers:
Chmn. Reed Hunt: rhu...@fcc.gov
Comm. James Quello: jQu...@fcc.gov
Comm. Susan Ness: sn...@fcc.gov
Comm. Rachelle Chong: rch...@fcc.gov
It is not illegal.
> I have heard that if you want to really make absinthe it is best to get
> the raw form instead of tinctures and such of wormwood.
The first thing you do from fresh material is to make a tincture. That
allows easy adjustment of the bitterness.
> Beyond the fact that it can be very dangerous if not treated correctly and
> with the proper respect,it is a expensive drink to make.And it also takes
Why expensive? Compared to what?
> time to make it properly.
It takes time to let it mature. Actual work time is on the order of 10
minutes.
> I'm sure that this "fad" of absinthe that has been re-emerging in the last
> few years,apparently mainly in Seattle and S.F. will claim more wittless
> victims.
I've been making absinthe for 20 years. It's simple and tasty and much
less dangerous than sweet umbrella drinks.
Pierre
--
Pierre Jelenc
New York City | Home Office
Beer Guide | Records
http://www.nycbeer.org/ | http://www.web-ho.com/
You can find true wild wormwood in places around the United States.I know
this as a fact.I do not believe that possesion of this herb is in itself
"illegal",I could be mistaken.
I have heard that if you want to really make absinthe it is best to get
the raw form instead of tinctures and such of wormwood.
Beyond the fact that it can be very dangerous if not treated correctly and
with the proper respect,it is a expensive drink to make.And it also takes
time to make it properly.
I'm sure that this "fad" of absinthe that has been re-emerging in the last
few years,apparently mainly in Seattle and S.F. will claim more wittless
victims.
The romance of the drink is appealing,but I hope anyone who makes or
drinks this "green fairy" will know what they are doing.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Respectfully,
Germanan
OK! Kay, get your liter of raid and I'll make up a liter of
Absinthe... the real stuff that Henri Pernot used to make back in
1855....
We'll stand up and start doing shots and see who is still standing in 48
hours.
Yes, the prolonged use of absinthe is dangerous, habit forming and
generally not recommended for the population... However when used in
extremes of mederation there are theraputic benefits to the use of
absinthe. Lower back pains with spasms, applied as a hot compress for
severe headaches which nothing else will moderate and as stated above a
vermicide. It has also been used as a febrifuge and a stomachic.
Please note that I do not endorse or recommend this dring as a regular
course of treatment rather as the extreme, and last resort. This is one
particularly powerful version of an herbal power tool. You need to read
the label several times here folks!
I don't believe that wormwood tincture has much of the active compound
that you are looking for from wormwood proper. Best to get some actual
wormwood herb and soak about an ounce in a pint of vodka... mix the
this mixture after it has sat for 3-6 months with pernod... tastes
like shit but does the job... and yes be careful of regular use
of absinthe... it is hepatitic... IOW it kills your liver.
-douglas
I would be *very* conservative when using tincture, as you are adding an
alcohol based product to more alcohol. (Most tinctures are made in a
50% alcohol base; 4-6 ounces per 1 cup 100 proof alcohol.)
Most commonly used herbs have the potetial to kill or harm. White
willow bark is the base of pure aspirin; we can take aspirin daily, but
can still die of an overdose. Most people who have died or been damaged
by wormwood is because they overindulged in too potent a concoction, or
had a sensitivity or allergy.
> austin...@utoronto.ca wrote:
> : I'm trying to make absinthe from wormwood tincture, but can't
> Out of curiosity, what is it claimed to be theraputic for?
Absinthe is used as an appetite-stimulant, and can be very useful in
restarting the proper process of digestion after someone has suffered severe
malnutrition. Interestingly, if applied in a poultice, it can also be good
for curing backache.
Jennie
--
Jennie Kermode jen...@innocent.com
Gothcode 3.0A:- GoAu7$CS3 TGlTgFeNr9 PMoRSg B20/48Bk"3 cBk9
V6s M3p1GooFanPuoCl C6p a23-(14) n6 b54 H163 g7!??76A m0@26
w7A v5S r3E p75765Rd D77* h7AdFeGl sF5PSrWy k7BdSMmDspFNRWT
N0893NEH Hfs5p10 LukGla9
OK, I'll bite. What are "extremes of moderation"?
--
-- "If food is the body of good living, wine is its soul"
--
-- Clifton Fadiman, American editor and writer.
-- 1904-?
--
I don't think any herbalists are recommending absinthe for ANYTHING.
I'm not sure, but I don't think any herbalists ever did. It was
a recreational drug.
Wormwood has historically been used as a vermifuge, but I believe most
responsible herbalists these days would try all of the dozens of other
vermifuges first, and if they all failed, and the patient REALLY needed
to get rid of intestinal parasites, they might then resort to wormwood.
But not absinthe. And certainly not for extended periods. And not without
adding hepatoprotective treatments to keep it from doing damage.
That's my opinion. Maybe we'll both get some flames.
----------- Paul A. Cook
Bill Crick
Brewius, Ergo Beer
Bill Crick
Brewius,Ergo Sum!
Pierre Jelenc wrote,
>Why expensive? Compared to what?
Well at least here in the Northwest,the other ingredients,the other
alchohol etc. adds up.The folk I know that make it definately do so as a
treat and not as a regular type of brew,such as beer or even mead.Perhaps
your better off than us over here,but I would say its not exactly a cheap
innexpensive concoction to make.
And then also.....
>It takes time to let it mature. Actual work time is on the order of 10
>minutes.
>
>
Well I have noticed that a lot of people want instant gratification when
they start making thier own refreshments.So I would assume that six weeks
of soaking wormwood is a bit of prep time for most.
Also.....
>I've been making absinthe for 20 years. It's simple and tasty and much
>less dangerous than sweet umbrella drinks.
>
>Pierre
I was'nt trying to paint the picture that everyone who makes absinthe or
tries it is part of a fad,as you pointed out you have been making it for
"20 years".But it has become sort of a "hip" type of thing with the
alternative type of people.
I just think that it is the type of drink that should be treated with
respect and not have its romantic aspects blown out of proportion to its
dangers.
Respectfully,
Germanan
Blutzeuge!
> Pierre: How do the effects of Absinthe differ from consuming a
> similar amount of alcohol?
Essentially no difference. It's a difference in taste, including a sort of
tingling on the tongue.
> Interesting coincidence: I just read a couple days ago about somebody who
> killed themselves trying to make absinthe.
That's not quite true. The individual suffered acute renal (kidney)
failure and was released from the hospital after 8 days.
Here's the citation for the article:
Weisbord, Steven D., Jeremy B. Soule, and Paul L. Kimmel. "Poison on
Line - Acute Renal Failure caused by Oil of Wormwood Purchased Through
the Internet." _The New England Journal of Medicine_ v. 337, n. 12
p. 825-827 (Sep. 18, 1997)
Apparently he bought oil of wormwood after not reading the FAQ closely
enough and drank the oil straight.
"Several hours before becoming ill, [the patient] drank approximately
10 ml of the essential oil [of wormwood], assuming it was absinthe
liqueur."
kirsti
Use some common sense, for heaven's sakes. After reading the two posts
just prior to yours, you still wonder about the hazards? Sheesh.
Read "Absinthe" [Arnold, Wilfred Niels] _Scientific_American_, June 1989.
It gives a clear explanation of the hazards involved. Any decent public
or university library should have a copy, or be able to obtain one.
-----------------
Douglas L. Miller
I apologize for the inconvenience, but the SPAMbots are getting smarter.
My email address is my initials with no dots, plus my last name, at the
domain netdirect dot net
: Bill Crick
: Brewius, Ergo Beer
Well... basically the job is to get one "buzzed". My use of
the absinthe was as a sacrament for an INvocation of Chaos.
The alcohol in the absinthe acts as a excellent carrier of
and accelerator of the alkaloids in wormwood, which causes
the liver to release chemicals into one's system that are
similar to those caused by anger. I found that the alcohol
reduces inhibitions while the wormwood has a narcotic
effect on the body but not the mind... the body becomes
completely relaxed, esp. the spine while the portions of
the brain that effect cognitive thought remain relatively
active... though heavy ingestion of the mixtures alcoholic
content can also reverse this.
-douglas
Except that this infamous article is a stupendous example of falsehoods,
bad science, and no science at all. There is not one single double-blind
experiment, and the trials on rats (mice?) that were done later than in
utter prehistory concerned themselves with plying the poor critters with
humongous amounts of pure thujone. In those quantities such similar (they
are all simple terpenes), run-of-the-mill kitchen chemicals as menthol or
thymol do cause convulsions as well. Duh!
>In article <60jsdj$9...@panix2.panix.com>,
> rc...@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:
>+Doug Miller...see my sig for real e-mail address <d.l.m...@inetdirect.net> writes:
>+> Read "Absinthe" [Arnold, Wilfred Niels] _Scientific_American_, June 1989.
>+> It gives a clear explanation of the hazards involved. Any decent public
>+> or university library should have a copy, or be able to obtain one.
>+
>+Except that this infamous article is a stupendous example of falsehoods,
>+bad science, and no science at all. There is not one single double-blind
>+experiment, and the trials on rats (mice?) that were done later than in
>+utter prehistory concerned themselves with plying the poor critters with
>+humongous amounts of pure thujone. In those quantities such similar (they
>+are all simple terpenes), run-of-the-mill kitchen chemicals as menthol or
>+thymol do cause convulsions as well. Duh!
>+
>And we're supposed to accept your opinion over those of the editors of
>a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Riiiiiight.
What's up with this? What do you see as opinion here? That the
conclusions were drawn from no double-blind studies, from antiquated
studies, and studies done with rodents at extremely large doses? That
commonly ingested related chemicals are similarly toxic? The only
opinion given was that it's bad science. As to that, well, anyone who
cares should read the article and evaluate it by their own criteria.
If she or he considers it good science, fine, bad science, fine. But,
to call it good/bad just because someone else does - be they an editor
or a usenet poster - is to be a fool and a sheep. This is my opinion,
and I don't give a rat's ass who accepts it.
> And we're supposed to accept your opinion over those of the editors of
> a peer-reviewed scientific journal. Riiiiiight.
Scientific American is _not_ a peer-reviewed scientific journal. It is
reasonably good, a Popular Mechanics or National Geographic maybe, but no
more; in this case it goofed, badly. Opinions have nothing to do with
this; either you have the data or you don't. With respect to absinthe
there are no good data, only a few, century-old anecdotes.
-----------------
Wrong.
It is
+reasonably good, a Popular Mechanics or National Geographic maybe, but no
+more; in this case it goofed, badly. Opinions have nothing to do with
+this; either you have the data or you don't. With respect to absinthe
+there are no good data, only a few, century-old anecdotes.
+
Obviously, your opinions differ from those of the *scientists* who wrote
the article. Their qualifications are described in the publication.
What are yours?
> Obviously, your opinions differ from those of the *scientists* who wrote
> the article. Their qualifications are described in the publication.
> What are yours?
Irrelevant. Politicians may be qualified to run a nation, but do they
do it? A scientist may be qualified to do his/her job correctly, but
find it easier to avoid "rocking the boat" by presenting new data. An
executive may be qualified to run a company, but may use his position to
personal advantage instead. Just because you CAN do it doesn't mean you
WILL do it.
Also, some people who should know better have opinions which are
quite inconsistent with the facts at hand. Remember "Reefer Madness",
that (unintentionally) hilarious documentary that said marijuana could
addict with one hit and was GUARANTEED to ruin your life and kill you.
Some scientists actually believed this in the face of overwhelming
evidence that it was not THAT harmful. Failure to conduct research
properly is not excused by one's qualifications.
If a pilot with 20 years of training and experience crashes a plane
through his own errors, the passengers are just as dead. If
qualifications put someone above criticism by the less qualified, few
would be able to question their political leaders. How can someone base
conclusions on research that doesn't reflect the actual problem? If a
scientist were to feed a rat aspirin until it bled to death internally,
does that mean aspirin is a deadly poison?
Let's call a spade a spade, people. Bad science is bad science.
Lack of a double-blind study allows personal prejudice to affect the
results, because noone is COMPLETELY impartial. Feeding rats doses
thousands of times the normal level of consumption proves nothing except
that nearly any chemical is poisonous if enough is ingested. I don't
claim to know whether Absinthe is harmful. It may be, but let's see
some REAL research so there is something worthwhile to base an opinion
on.
> Chemical engineer, PhD in biochemistry, molecular biologist for the past
> 20 years, drinker of absinthe for 25 years, homebrewer for 10 years.
>
> Pierre
> --
>I think everybody is right and appeal to all who feel that absinthe is innocuous to drink as much as they can possibly hold ASAP. People who think otherwise should leave it alone. Silly tinkerers should take their chances. As for marijuana every pot head should try to make an infusion of mary jane in his wine to increase the exhilerating effect of drinking it and be sure to post the recipe. I wonder what the beneficial effects of arsenic are?
TS
> +Scientific American is _not_ a peer-reviewed scientific journal.
>
> Wrong.
What is wrong? It is not a scientific journal. It presents neither
original research (with experimental designs, actual data from the
experiments, and a thorough discussion) nor is it a reviews journal (in
which the literature is reviewed exhaustively and --as much as possible--
impartially).
> Obviously, your opinions differ from those of the *scientists* who wrote
Actually just one person, if I remember correctly (it's been many years),
and one whose qualifications were not especially overwhelming (again, from
memory).
> the article. Their qualifications are described in the publication.
> What are yours?
Chemical engineer, PhD in biochemistry, molecular biologist for the past
20 years, drinker of absinthe for 25 years, homebrewer for 10 years.
Pierre
--
do you drink water? What about tea, coffee cola ??
If so could you please drink as much water as you possibly can and
repeat a few times and then report on what happens to you.
Anything is dangerous if taken in the right quantities, or if you
react badly to them. If I drank as much beer/gin/vodka as I could
"possibly hold" I don't think I'd be that well, so what exactly is
your point if you indeed had one?
BTW it helps to press return every 75 characters or so
--
Giolla Decair ____
"Broken inside now our hearts lost forever \ _/__
Can't replace the fear or the thrill of the chase" \X /
"You can hide hide hide behind paranoid eyes" \/
And adding to this, I believe it's been said often here and elsewhere
that the alcohol would either make you pass out/go into a coma/die
long before you ingested enough wormwood to do real harm. Think about
it--Absinthe (and Pernod) is 80-90 proof. That's the same as vodka,
whiskey, etc--a little on the high side, in fact, and you can really
only drink so much alcohol before you're in serious trouble.
All in all, I'd say the wormwood seems a bit safer/healthier than
alcohol, and less addictive, from what I hear. What a thought.
But then, what do I know? I listen to people who really drink the
stuff and use my head before I mouth off.
-LadyRhye- getting fed up with people who blindly believe puritan
myths. You might as well think that Reefer Madness was serious or
that you'll go blind if you wank.
That's all.
~*~Darling, I'm simply dripping with money--it may be vulgar, but it's Wonderful~*~ -Freddie Mercury
LRhye @ Primenet.com http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Club/1375
For custom patterns: http://www.angelfire.com/biz/MorpheusRemniscient
~*~GoAu5$Th5$AT5$ TGAnTg7]Jt[ PPeSaNi B8/15Bk\"2 cNr-P9 V7s M3p2wD
Z!! C7om a22= n7 b67F H171 g8T??90A m6Ea@Z6 w6T v4MR r3EISP p719Z5Me
De66!~ h6(PPeSaNiSc) sF6n SsYn k7Z N0192JFCOEBH]LM[ RnS LusAZ6~*~
**Remove spaces from email before replying**
That's _today's_ absinthe. In the 19th century it was commonly 140-180
proof, and was the cheapest form of alcohol available, just as gin was in
18th century England.
In article <34306ed8....@news.primenet.com>, ~lrhye~@~primenet.com~ (LadyRhye) writes:
|> On 29 Sep 1997 17:32:57 -0400, rc...@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:
|>
|> >That's _today's_ absinthe. In the 19th century it was commonly 140-180
|> >proof, and was the cheapest form of alcohol available, just as gin was in
|> >18th century England.
|>
|> That's why I used the present tense. "Absinthe IS 80-90 proof based
|> on Pernod...." etc.
|>
Actually, it still is 140 proof. I purchased a bottle of absinth in Prague and it is
70% alcohol. Incidentally, absinth tastes nothing like pernod. Absinth tastes
and smells awful, though to be honest i actually got accustomed to it. The liquor
that it most resembles in terms of taste is grappa.
Thomas
>That's _today's_ absinthe. In the 19th century it was commonly 140-180
>proof, and was the cheapest form of alcohol available, just as gin was in
>18th century England.
That's why I used the present tense. "Absinthe IS 80-90 proof based
on Pernod...." etc.
~*~Darling, I'm simply dripping with money--it may be vulgar, but it's Wonderful~*~ -Freddie Mercury
Pierre,
If you hadn't been drinking absinthe for 25 years maybe you'd remember the
people and their qualifications better ;o).
--
heubs
Spammers forced me into this. Replace "spamless" with " wf " to respond.
I don't know about in France, but the bottle I bought in Prague
contains wormwood, and as it was on sale in the local supermarket ,
just next to the becher, I'd assume it was legal that way.
>> Actually, it still is 140 proof. I purchased a bottle of absinth in Prague and it is
>> 70% alcohol. Incidentally, absinth tastes nothing like pernod. Absinth tastes
>> and smells awful, though to be honest i actually got accustomed to it. The liquor
>> that it most resembles in terms of taste is grappa.
>I have been under the impression that "today's" absinthe does not
>contain any wormwood, and that is a legal restriction in France. Is
>that not true?
Yes, that is the legal restriction most places in the world. The lack
of wormwood is the primary reason Pernod doesn't taste like absinthe.
Pernod was a large producer of absinthe back when it was legal, and
when it was made illegal they came out with their "imitation absinthe"
that is similar but lower in alcohol and without the wormwood.
--
Daniel Juliano | Finger me for my
d...@starfire.ne.uiuc.edu | PGP Public Key
Agreed on both counts the bottle I have from prague is also clearly
marked 70% by vol. And it didn't taste like pernod to me either.
>and smells awful, though to be honest i actually got accustomed to it. The liquor
>that it most resembles in terms of taste is grappa.
I disagree here, I really like the smell and taste, very smooth and
very "moreish". Mind you as was recently pointed out to me my sense of
smooth for alchohol roughly considers sandpaper and parchment to be
the same.
Absinthe has been known to cause blindness and comas.
The stuff I bought didn't taste awful, not wonderful though.
I thought the nearest tasting stuff was Ouzo.
> >
> I have been under the impression that "today's" absinthe does not
> contain any wormwood, and that is a legal restriction in France. Is
> that not true?
> TS
>
It is illegal to make and/or sell Absinthe in France, although it's
perfectly
ok to do so in Spain. I bought a bottle a few months ago, but I'm not
convinced thats it's authentic. I compared a sample of Absinthe with Ouzo
using a RAMAN SPECTROMETER and there was little or no difference, we
certainly
did not find any Thujone which is the active part of wormwood.
As I understand it (second and third hand) Spain stopped making real
absinthe when they applied to the Common Market; not that it was a formal
precondition, but to show them how nice they had become. Real absinthe is
available in Portugal, the Czech Republic and --possibly-- Slovakia.
In article <slrn63222i...@bob.bob.bofh.org>, Gio...@bob.bofh.org (Giolla Decair) writes:
|> previously Thomas Jelonek may have written article <60prng$8...@Athena.McRCIM.McGill.EDU> saying:
|> >
|> >In article <34306ed8....@news.primenet.com>, ~lrhye~@~primenet.com~ (LadyRhye) writes:
|> >|> On 29 Sep 1997 17:32:57 -0400, rc...@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:
|> >|> >That's _today's_ absinthe. In the 19th century it was commonly 140-180
|> >|> >proof, and was the cheapest form of alcohol available, just as gin was in
|> >|> >18th century England.
|> >|> That's why I used the present tense. "Absinthe IS 80-90 proof based
|> >|> on Pernod...." etc.
|> >Actually, it still is 140 proof. I purchased a bottle of absinth in Prague and it is
|> >70% alcohol. Incidentally, absinth tastes nothing like pernod. Absinth tastes
|>
|> Agreed on both counts the bottle I have from prague is also clearly
|> marked 70% by vol. And it didn't taste like pernod to me either.
|>
|> >and smells awful, though to be honest i actually got accustomed to it. The liquor
|> >that it most resembles in terms of taste is grappa.
|>
|> I disagree here, I really like the smell and taste, very smooth and
|> very "moreish". Mind you as was recently pointed out to me my sense of
|> smooth for alchohol roughly considers sandpaper and parchment to be
|> the same.
Well, to be honest my bottles did not last very long so I must have got quite accustomed
to the taste. I should also add that I really didn't have the patience to drink it with
little spoons of sugar. I just sort of guzzled it straight. The bitterness did grow on,
but I never did get wholly used to the initial smell when the bottled was opened.
Thomas
NOTE: Check the atribution on the article: I'm not trying to make it,
or plannign to drink it, I'm just curious on what it DOES?
BC
BES!
>PLEASE !!!!! Be extremely careful ... They banned this stuff for a reason !
Yes, it's called puritanical hysteria.
>Absinthe has been known to cause blindness and comas.
You'd only go blind if you made it with methanol.
Any alcoholic beverage, from absinthe to beer, can cause comas and even
death if you drink too much of it.
In article <slrn63226g...@bob.bob.bofh.org>, Gio...@bob.bofh.org (Giolla Decair) writes:
|> previously Tom Shaw may have written article <B69866A4E7416F21.0F3E11AC...@library-proxy.airnews.net> saying:
|> >Thomas Jelonek wrote:
|> >> In article <34306ed8....@news.primenet.com>, ~lrhye~@~primenet.com~ (LadyRhye) writes:
|> >> |> On 29 Sep 1997 17:32:57 -0400, rc...@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:
|> [snip]
|> >> Actually, it still is 140 proof. I purchased a bottle of absinth in Prague and it is
|> >> 70% alcohol. Incidentally, absinth tastes nothing like pernod. Absinth tastes
|> >> and smells awful, though to be honest i actually got accustomed to it. The liquor
|> >> that it most resembles in terms of taste is grappa.
|> >I have been under the impression that "today's" absinthe does not
|> >contain any wormwood, and that is a legal restriction in France. Is
|> >that not true?
|>
|> I don't know about in France, but the bottle I bought in Prague
|> contains wormwood, and as it was on sale in the local supermarket ,
|> just next to the becher, I'd assume it was legal that way.
|>
Well, I purchased my abstinth in a supermarket in Hala Strana close to St. Stephen's bridge.
I assume it must be available in most supermarkets. My impression is that it is not exactly
legal, but rather that the government does not enforce the regulation.
Thomas
Absinthe has been known to cause blindness and comas.
---------------
I was under the understanding that it caused communism and
furious masterbation.
Do we need to start alt.drugs.absinthe?
File Under: Smoking banana peels.
...
> And adding to this, I believe it's been said often here and elsewhere
> that the alcohol would either make you pass out/go into a coma/die
> long before you ingested enough wormwood to do real harm. Think about
> it--Absinthe (and Pernod) is 80-90 proof. That's the same as vodka,
> whiskey, etc--a little on the high side, in fact, and you can really
> only drink so much alcohol before you're in serious trouble.
Hmmm.. I was under the impression that the danger from drinking Absinthe
was from LONG TERM effects, not from a single binge. Also, what about
possible synergistic effects? Like on those little bottles from the
pharmacy that say "Do not drink alcohol while taking this medication"?
There are a number of substances that are relatively safe or even innocuous
when taken alone that become potent or dangerous in combination.
Always remember, it's not dangerous to fall from high buildings, as long as
you don't land... ;-)
-RJO
>I just asked what does it do? I'm sure people don't drink it
>to induce blindness, or comas? What is the effect that is different
>than 150 proof rum that it causes.
>NOTE: Check the atribution on the article: I'm not trying to make it,
>or plannign to drink it, I'm just curious on what it DOES?
It's mostly euphoric/narcotic. The euphoric phase is often experienced
together with motor stimulation, when it wears off the narcotic phase
takes over. With huge dosages of Absinthe acoustic hallucinations have
been reported.
I don't believe the Thujones are responsible for the toxicity (or
effects) of Absinthe but I'm more than confident this stuff _is_ toxic
(due to some unknown reason) even when no harmful additives like
Antimony or Methanol are added (this was often the case when Van Gogh
was among the living).
If you are not going to use it for any illegal purpose you can
purchase first-grade herba absinthii from:
www.worldnet.fr/~dagon/tac/ethno.htm
All the Best,
Mike
> On 29 Sep 1997 17:32:57 -0400, rc...@panix.com (Pierre Jelenc) wrote:
>
> >That's _today's_ absinthe. In the 19th century it was commonly 140-180
> >proof, and was the cheapest form of alcohol available, just as gin was in
> >18th century England.
>
> That's why I used the present tense. "Absinthe IS 80-90 proof based
> on Pernod...." etc.
>
Absinthe, in its strict sense, is no longer widely available because its
other, and very significant active ingredient, is wormwood. Wormwood is a
highly toxic poison which causes, among other symptoms, blindness and
degenerating dementia. In addition, it was differentiated from mere
alcohol by effect and context; artists, writers, etc. gravitated to its
not unmentionable hallucinatory effects and to the small bohemian parlors
where consumption of such was fashionable.
"And when she's on a roll, she pulls a razor from her boot and a thousand
pigeons fall around her feet."
-Tom Waits
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ridgely Schantz * pet...@perspex.com * rsch...@vt.edu * Blacksburg, VA *
_______________________________________________________________________________
The only common structural feature that they have is an isopropyl group.
Thujone is a simple C10 monoterpene with a bicyclo[0,1,3]hexane ring
structure. Cannabinol is a flat, tricyclic phenol with a n-pentyl side
chain. They are about as similar as a Picasso is to a Rembrandt.
--
losers!
---
Arnaldo Carlos Caponetti
E-mail: capo...@satlink.com
Buenos Aires - ARGENTINA
SNIP..........>> Previous posts snipped _TO SAVE BANDWIDTH_
> --
> losers!
> ---
> Arnaldo Carlos Caponetti
> E-mail: capo...@satlink.com
> Buenos Aires - ARGENTINA
Sort of makes you wonder doesn't it?
Arnaldo: Get yourself a mirror!
Look in it!
Read your contribution out loud while you do this!
BC
BES!
Eric
--
My real address is drake.49 at postbox.acs.ohio-state.edu
Last time I posted a mesage without falsifying my E-mail address
I was subscribed to a listserver. I hate those Mother Spammers!
Dear me....you are well-versed.
How might one acquire such a manual of pharmacognosci?
~R.
One tries ones best.
>How might one acquire such a manual of pharmacognosci?
It helps if your mother's a pharmacist and your brother also works in
the pharmecutical trade. Martindale is publicly available, although
I'm not sure where, but is seriously on the uncheap side.
I don't suppose you have references for these reports, or what counts
as "huge doses" and what the ecipe and alchohol content of the
absinthe used was?
>I don't believe the Thujones are responsible for the toxicity (or
>effects) of Absinthe but I'm more than confident this stuff _is_ toxic
>(due to some unknown reason) even when no harmful additives like
Evidence for this belief? And on what is this belief based? Also do
you have any idea what this "unknown" cuase might be and out of
interest as you've not given any references for any of your claims
what are your qualifications in relation to this subject so that we
know how much weight to give to your claims. For the record I have no
relevant qualifications except access to a few good reference books.
[snip]
>If you are not going to use it for any illegal purpose you can
>purchase first-grade herba absinthii from:
>www.worldnet.fr/~dagon/tac/ethno.htm
Of course in the UK at least making absinthe isn't illegal.
Giolla Decair <Gio...@bob.bofh.org> wrote in article > Of course in the UK
at least making absinthe isn't illegal.
As I understand it, true Absinthe is made by a series of distillations.
Distilling alcohol of any description without a license in the UK is
illegal, the Customs and excise people would like to know as well.
I recently read 'Absinthe, History in a bottle' Lots of arty pictures and
amusing stories.
Chris C
LadyRhye wrote:
> On Mon, 29 Sep 1997 12:13:56 GMT, Gio...@bob.bofh.org (Giolla Decair)
> wrote:
> >previously Tom Shaw may have written article saying:
> >> I think everybody is right and appeal to all who feel that absinthe is
> >> innocuous to drink as much as they can possibly hold ASAP. People who
> >> think otherwise should leave it alone. Silly tinkerers should take their
> >> chances. As for marijuana every pot head should try to make an infusion of
> >> mary jane in his wine to increase the exhilerating effect of drinking it
> >> and be sure to post the recipe. I wonder what the beneficial effects of
> >> arsenic are?
Er... Tom?
As far as I know, the active ingredient in marijuana, tetrahydrocannibinol, is not water soluble, which
is why people make "butter" out of it and use it in cooking rather than drink it in a tea.
B*B
Wendy
xxxxx
LadyRhye wrote:
>> chances. As for marijuana every pot head should try to make an infusion
>> mary jane in his wine to increase the exhilerating effect of drinking it
>> and be sure to post the recipe. I wonder what the beneficial effects of
>> arsenic are?
>Er... Tom?
>
>As far as I know, the active ingredient in marijuana,
tetrahydrocannibinol, >is not water soluble, which is why people make
"butter" out of it and use it >in cooking rather than drink it in a tea.
Actually, in lieu of the arsenic comment, I think that s/he meant
something to the effect of "ye ignorant masses of narrowly
substance-defined 'individualism', may yer'
toxic-by-way-of-nearsighted-emulation ways be the death of ye -
owl-blasted (look this one up somtime) subcultural cannon-fodder, go fuck
yerselves." At least that's what I might have said (oh, wait, i did say
it) ...
Urban lore ... an intellectual refuge of the spineless (tm).
>B*B
>Wendy
>xxxxx
Battling*Banality ... [chip on shoulder: yes (x) no ( )]
slan,
--Matt
--
comes the light/comes the flame/comes the child who is/come the sword/come the flame/come the end of bliss's reign/come the dawn/come the day/wake the soft soul up/come the fire/come the change/come the rose of Venus shame/come the night/come the death/down the path out of ...SEVEN
----------------------(c) G.D./Unmanifest Productions-----------------------
Oh well.
Joe
True, making any distilled spirit without a license is illegal,
however that is different rom making the drink at all being illegal.
e.g.
It would be illegal for me to distill my own whisky
however it is not illegal to make whisky,
Spot the difference?
>I recently read 'Absinthe, History in a bottle' Lots of arty pictures and
>amusing stories.
Got a ref for that? Author/publisher/isbn?
Giolla Decair <Gio...@bob.bofh.org> wrote in article
<slrn64kbbs...@bob.bob.bofh.org>...
>
> >I recently read 'Absinthe, History in a bottle' Lots of arty pictures
and
> >amusing stories.
>
> Got a ref for that? Author/publisher/isbn?
Sure have:
Title Absinthe, history in a bottle
Author Barnaby Conrad 111
Publisher Chronicle Books, San Francisco
ISBN 0-8118-1650-8
Inside the front cover it mentions they have a web site at
http://www.chronbooks.com
I paid it a visit, but couldn't find a reference to this book. My copy
is only about 6 months old and my local bookstore had no trouble
getting hold of it.
Chris C
Excellent, ta muchly.
Now a book hunting I shall go and hopefully avoid foyles.