Absinthe: History In a Bottle by Barnaby Conrad III

As much as I love absinthe, this book didn't get interesting till the middle. The first 6 chapters talk exclusively about various artists who influenced and WERE influenced by The Green Fairy. The only problem is that more is said about the artists, than the drink itself.

So for those of you who don't know, the 1769 recipe for absinthe contains the following herbs: wormwood, anise, hyssop, dittany, sweet flag, Melissa (a type of mint), coriander, veronica, camomile, parsley, and even spinach.

As a response to some of the less than scientific medical experiments attempting to prove that absinthe causes epilepsy, Van Helmont conducted his own experiment as follows:

"Tank A was filled with three liters 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 liters of seawater (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 liters of spring water (from Dhuys), gravel and a ladder, and in it were placed two saltwater fish and a frog.

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

This is what resulted:
1) The four fish in Tank A died; the frog left to lodge himself in Tank D.
2) The two fish in Tank B died; this frog also went to Tank D.
3) The two fish in Tank C died; the third frog joined his colleagues in Tank D.

Van Helmont concluded:

1) 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 and took refuge in Tank D.
2) Sea water is a poison, since the two fish placed in it died quickly; the frog left hastily."
3) Spring water is a poison, since the two fish put in it also died.
4) Spring water with a small quantity of absinthe spirits is a very clean environment because the four frogs took refuge there and seemed to stay there with pleasure."

Because this book is outdated and the US has legalized absinthe again, I'm forced to only give it a 2 although the author gets kudos for having such a cool name.