156 ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM 



cold infusion becomes olive-green and turbid on the addition of 

 perchloride of iron. It imparts its properties to both water and 

 spirit. 



The principal constituents of wormwood are a volatile oil, a bitter 

 principle called absinthin, and an acid called by Braconnot 

 absinthic acid. The so-called salt of wormwood is impure car- 

 bonate of potash, and is obtained by incinerating the herb. 

 Absinthic acid is now regarded as identical with succinic acid. 

 The volatile oil, which is isomeric with camphor, has usually a 

 dark green colour, but is sometimes yellow or brown ; it has an 

 acrid bitter taste, and the peculiar odour of wormwood. Absin- 

 thin is the active bitter principle of the plant ; it is an imperfectly 

 crystalline substance, which is slightly soluble in water, very 

 soluble in alcohol, but less so in ether. 



Medical Properties and Uses. Wormwood formerly enjoyed a 

 high reputation as an aromatic tonic, and was also regarded as an 

 anthelmintic, as its common name implies ; but it is little employed 

 at the present time, either in this country or the United States, 

 although, as Christison remarks, there seems no reason for the 

 present neglect of it except the caprice of fashion. It is stated to 

 be especially serviceable in atonic dyspepsia ; and was largely used 

 in intermittents before the introduction of Cinchona bark. It 

 has also been successfully employed to expel worms ; and the 

 freshly powdered root has proved very efficacious in epilepsy. 



In large doses it appears to exert a specific influence over the 

 nervous system, as it produces headache, giddiness, &c. These effects 

 are due to the volatile oil, which appears to resemble camphor in 

 its action. It exhibits its narcotic effects on the lower animals by 

 causing epileptiform convulsions, and in large doses, death. A 

 case is recorded in the ' Lancet ' in which a man, after taking 

 half an ounce of the volatile oil, became insensible, and was 

 attacked with convulsions, &c., but who recovered under suitable 

 treatment by emetics, stimulants, and demulcents. 



This action of the volatile oil appears to throw some light on 

 the statements that have been frequently made of late years, in 

 reference to the highly injurious effects of the long-continued and 



