Absinthium absin.

Artemisia absinthium. Common wormwood. A shrub of the natural order Compositæ, wild in Europe, naturalized in the United States. A tincture is prepared by bruising the young leaves and blossoms and adding two parts of alcohol.

The most marked general effect of Absinthium is epilepsy. ▶ The convulsions attack suddenly one who has been in the habit of drinking absinth for a long time, especially if at any time he indulges in excess. ▶ A large number of these convulsions are apt to occur in rapid succession for a few hours, coming on with screaming. ▶ The convulsions begin in the face and extend to the body and limbs, which are at first rigid, and then affected by clonic spasms; with cyanotic face, irregular and stertorous respiration. ▶ The convulsions are followed by stupidity, lack of sensibility and loss of memory. ▶ The general or associated symptoms are as follows.

Faintness. ▶ Symptoms of general paralysis. ▶ General anæsthesia or general hyperæsthesia. ▶ Trembling, especially of the lips, tongue and limbs, worse in the morning. ▶ Frequent hysterical spasms, not amounting to epilepsy, the convulsions consisting of rigidity of the limbs and some irregular motions. ▶ Tendency to lie with head low.

Crying and wishing to die. ▶ Delirium. ▶ Dread of assassination. ▶ Various hallucinations. ▶ Idiocy. ▶ Irritable mood. ▶ Kleptomania. ▶ Loquacity. ▶ Complete loss of memory. ▶ Sudden attacks of stupor and unconsciousness. ▶ Frightful visions. ▶ Expression foolish.

General confusion, with headache. ▶ Constriction of the temples. ▶ Pain above the eyes. ▶ Vertigo on rising, or with tendency to fall backward.

Brilliant. ▶ Conjunctiva injected. ▶ Sclerotic yellow. ▶ Pupils dilated unequally. ▶ Lids heavy.

Loss of appetite and loathing of food. ▶ Thirst. ▶ Eructations. ▶ Nausea; retching; vomiting of bitter mucus. ▶ Coldness and oppression in stomach. ▶ Food lies heavy. ▶ Flatulent distention of the abdomen, which is hard. ▶ Wind colic. ▶ Liver becomes enlarged. ▶ Constipation.

Micturition frequent. ▶ Urine deep orange, of a strong odor; red; in some cases albuminous.

Darting pain in right ovary.

Voice feeble, speech hesitating; voice trembling and hoarse. ▶ Cough, with expectoration. ▶ Crepitant râles. ▶ Heart's action irregular, tumultuous; trembling of the heart felt through to the back. ▶ Oppression of chest.

Unsteady, tottering gait. ▶ Sciatica.

This drug has been used as a remedy for prolonged spasms of children, and in a few cases of epileptiform convulsions of older persons. ▶ Its clinical history is, however, very imperfect.