A WWI Diary That Never Was

WWI Diary was to have brought you the whole of World War I as it was reported in the papers of the day, exactly 100 years later. For a year I blogged news leading up to the big war, thinking if there was any real interest regular readers would trickle in. They did not. Count: zero. So I stopped blogging the war news. For students of the time, 1914-1918 editions are available on the Web as thousands of individual articles via a Times service called Spiderbites.

Friday, July 13, 2012

No Absinthe After Oct. 1.

New York Times 100 years ago today, July 13, 1912:
Secretary Wilson Signs Pure Food Decision Barring Importation.
    WASHINGTON, July 12.—The importation of absinthe into the United States and its sale in inter-State commerce was prohibited after Oct. 1 next by a pure food decision signed to-day by Secretary Wilson.
    "It is generally recognized" says the decision, "that this beverage is dangerous to health."
    Members of the Pure Food Board expressed their opinion to-day that the decision would virtually abolish the use of absinthe in the United States.
    Belgium, Switzerland and Holland have passed laws forbidding its manufacture, sale and importation, and the French Senate two weeks ago took similar action. Absinthe also is condemned by the laws of Brazil.

1 comment:

Fender TuckerJuly 14, 2012 at 7:30 AM
I've heard that absinthe has made a bit of a comeback in the US in recent years. Apparently it's not strictly illegal anymore. I'm always leery of drugs that are delivered in the liquid state. I prefer solids or gasses and if anyone can come up with a plasma drug, I'm interested.
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