[Absinthe rehabilitated]

Absinthe (Artemisia absinthium) has been known for its medicinal properties since Antiquity. The Egyptians in 1600 BC, then Hippocrates, Galien, The Salerne School in 1649, and 18th-century physicians all recommended it for a variety of maladies. In 1780-1790 in Switzerland (Val de Travers), a traditional healer and, probably, a itinerant physician by the name of Docteur Ordinaire, transformed this purgative elixir into an aperitif liqueur, a move followed by two centuries of unexpected success. Absinthe was manufactured in France, at Pontarlier, for tax reasons. In 1900, the town counted 25 distilleries. Its production then extended to other French provinces. La fée verte ("green fairy") was particularly popular with the military, literary and artistic circles, and, finally the general public. In 1902, following a parliamentary vote, the Minister of the Interior asked the National Academy of Medicine to issue an opinion on "The indication of aperitif liqueurs, including absinthe". The Commission on Alcoholism, chaired by J.V. Laborde, examined the composition of absinthe liqueurs, the physiological and toxic action of their essences, the risks associated with "bitter" aperitifs, and the composition of essence-based liqueurs that were not used as aperitifs. The Commission compiled a list of the most dangerous aperitifs and liqueurs placing absinthe at the top, and recommended that the authorities prohibit the manufacture, circulation, advertisement and sale of all such drinks, including absinthe. However, because these drinks, and especially absinthe, represented an important source of tax revenue, this recommendation was only acted upon 13 years later, with a law adopted in March 1915. Despite subsequent prohibition of the production of absinthe liqueur, manufacturers in the Val de Travers region and a distillery in Pontarlier continued to work in secret until the prohibition was finally lifted in the year 2000. This decision was based on scientific analyses showing that thuyone was only toxic when ingested in very large amounts incompatible with normal consumption. In addition, it was found that the high alcohol content, often including adulterated alcohol, was particularly detrimental. A handful of manufacturers are now authorized, with strict limits placed on the alcohol content and thuyone concentration. Does this mean that the Academy of Medicine was wrong? While the report can be criticized, the fight against alcoholism was a worthy and necessary cause at the time, and remains so today.