Poisoning arrows?

[Dakotian]

I haven't been here in a while as I have been up to other things...like college.
Over the summer I have been collecting and expirimenting with various native plants with interessting medicinal properties. I find myself wondering if somehow a particuarily poisonious plant such as hemlock could be used to make an effective poison arrow or blowgun dart. If possible, does anyone know how such a thing could be done, and would whatever is killed by it still be safe to eat?

[Pat B]

Welcome back to PA, Dakotian. It has been a while. College!    ...and how are your sisters?
  The Cherokee used blow guns. I don't know it they used poison on their darts or not.
I believe that most of the poisons used by native cultures were either neurotoxins or anti coagulants. You will have to be extremely careful with either. I'm sure there are plant poisons in the US but I have no knowledge of them. Someone will speak up with a more helpful answer for you.

[islandpiper]

I think Homeland Security just joined the PA forum.....

[zeNBowyer]

I  am  not  aware  of  american  indians  using  poison  tips,  however the  south  american cultures  used  poison  tipped  darts and  arrows, there  are some species  of frogs  that contain  neurotoxins in their  skins,  and the  most well  known  poison  is curare, a  plant  poison

[Justin Snyder]

Tobacco............   
Boil it, strain it, boil it down to a thick paste and put it on the tips. It is as deadly as it comes.

[sailordad]

Tobacco............   
Boil it, strain it, boil it down to a thick paste and put it on the tips. It is as deadly as it comes.

nicotine overdose

thatll take care of anyones nic fits

[Pat B]

Nicotiana sulfate is a very powerful pesticide. Probably what Justin was talking about.

[kylerprochaska]

would that process poison the meat?? or would you still be able to eat it?

-Ky

[Justin Snyder]

There have been numerous groups across the world (Africa, Asia and South America) that used it on darts and/or arrows so I don't think it ruins the meat. If the meat was poison, the people would have died and the info wouldn't have been passed down. It could be mixed with wolfsbane, opium or many other ingredients. Don't be fooled though, it is deadly by itself. People have used tobacco poultice over the years also. But when the juice containing high grade nicotine and saliva was scraped from pipes and used, many people were poisoned.

They also sprinkled tobacco into water to numb the fish.

If that isn't enough info, read "African ethnobotany: poisons and drugs : chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology " By Hans Dieter Neuwinger

[billy]

I'm not sure of any plant based poisons that would work for that here in North America.  I tried making some poison years ago from milkweed, but was disappointed with the results.  Now I have heard about boiling cigarette tobacco, then concentrating the water until you have a thick, gummy paste.  Nicotine in its pure form is actually a very potent poison, but in miniscule amounts it's an addictive stimulant.

Anyway, I don't think that the poison will make the meat toxic to eat.  Cooking usually destroys the poison compounds, though I did see one video on youtube where the Bushmen of Africa cut out the meat that was nearest to the entrance wound. 

I guess you'd just have to experiment with it....

[mullet]

 In the past an old fish numbing toxin was used in Florida. Old crackers would take the seed pods from Wax Myrtles and put them in a burlap sack. Then they would smash the seed pods and weight it with a rock and throw it in a crrek without current or a small pond.

[recurve shooter]

I guess you'd just have to experiment with it....

Hmmmm, expiriment with poison. should give life an interesting new twist.....or a sudden end. 

[billy]

thats right recurve...but then again, isn't that what life is all about??

[stickbender]

     Ricin.  It is in castor beans, and black eyed susans, also known as rosary bead seeds.  Nothing to take lightly.  Use a double layer of rubber gloves.  But I do not know if it would also poison the meat.  Mix it with dmso, and you have a nasty product.  I don't think I would mess with it.  in fact I highly reccomend you don't mess with it.  Not only is it dangerous, but highly illegal. Nor would I eat the meat.  eat the meat.   It is also illegal to use poison arrows, and or darts.  Cyanide occurs naturally in native plants, and fruits.  But again, I would not mess with it.
                                                                  Wayne

[Dakotian]

Growing around here poison Hemlock is the most poisonous plant I know of. It was certainly effective enough to kill Socrates for being annoying. Concerning it.

"The most important and toxic of these is coniine, which has a chemical structure similar to nicotine.[12] Coniine is a neurotoxin, which disrupts the workings of the central nervous system and is toxic to humans and all classes of livestock.[13] Coniine causes death by blocking the neuromuscular junction in a manner similar to curare; this results in an ascending muscular paralysis with eventual paralysis of the respiratory muscles which results in death due to lack of oxygen to the heart and brain. Death can easily be prevented by artificial ventilation until the effects have worn off 48–72 hours later. Ingestion of Poison Hemlock in any quantity can result in respiratory collapse and death. [14] For an adult the ingestion of more than 100 mg of coniine (approximately 6 to 8 fresh leaves, or a smaller dose of the seeds or root) may result in fatality."

So if I can make this paste out of it, it sould work. If I ever intend to use it, and that's a significant "if".

So Stickbender, you're telling me that the Black Eyed Susan that is sitting on my shelf as a medicinal plant does in fact contain a deadly poison?...interessting.