taste resides
in "absinthin."

The plant also contains tannin, resin, starch, succinic, malic, and
acetic acids, with nitrate of potash, and other salts. In some
districts it is popularly called "green ginger."

Wormwood is of benefit for strengthless flatulent indigestion. An
infusion may be made of an ounce of the dried plant to a pint of
boiling water, and given in doses of from one to two tablespoonfuls
three times during the day.

[614] This infusion with a few drops of the essential oil will prevent
the hair from falling off.

Absinthe, a liqueur concocted from Wormwood, is used largely in
France, and the medical verdict pronounced there about its effects
shows that it exercises through the pneumogastric nerve a painful
sensation, which has been taken for that of extreme hunger. This
feeling goes off quickly if a little alcohol is given, though it is
aggravated by coffee, whilst an excessive use of absinthe from day
to day is not slow in producing serious symptoms: the stomach
ceases to perform its duty, there is an irritative reaction in the
brain, and the effects of blind drunkenness come on after each debauch.
The French Military call absinthe _un perroquet_. The daily taking
even for a short while only of a watery infusion of Wormwood
shows its bad effects by a general languor, with obscurities of the
sight, giddiness, want of appetite, and painful indigestion.

When indulged-in as an appetiser by connoisseurs, absinthe, the
"fairy with the green eyes," is modified by admixture with anisette,
noted as an "agreeable and bronchitis-palliating" liqueur.

As a result of his experiments on animals, Dr. Maignan has come to
the conclusion that absinthe (Wormwood) determines tremblings,
dulness of thought, and epileptiform convulsions,--symptoms which
alcohol alone will not produce. Hence it may be inferred that
absinthe contains really a narcotic poison which should prevent its
being employed as a liqueur, or as a homely medicament, to any
excess.

Dogs are given to eat the Wormwood as a remedy for their ailments.
Its medicinal and curative uses have been already partly discussed,
together with those of _Mugwort_.

[615] WOUNDWORT.

The Hedge Woundwort (_Stachys sylvatica_) is a common Labiate
plant in our hedges and woods, branched and hairy, with whorls of
small dull purple flowers on a spike two feet high or more. There
are other varieties of the herb, such as the Marsh (March)
Woundwort, the Co