The Alarming Effects of Absinthe on Guinea Pigs

Taken from his turn-of-the-century 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.'

'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.

Posted: 01 November 1999
Revised: 14 June 2004