Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-08-29
POISONS FOR ARROWS.
EXTRAORDINARY WAYS OF
MAKING WEAPONS FATAL.
Serpent Venom Mixed with Putrid Blood
The South American woorara
Is the Most Fatal OF all
These Polsons.

THE use of poisoned arrows is I'M
doubtedly OF very ancient origin, y
said DIR. w. j. Hoffman to writer for
the Washington Star. They are be-
lieved TO have been employed in Eu-
rope in prehistoric times, and later
on. according to Aristotle. Strabo and
Pliny, the Ceits and Gauls envenomed
their shafts with the juice OF plant of
the genus hellebore. The Scythians
prepared arrow poison by mixing SER
pent venom with the serum OF putrid
blood, and other instances are recorded
in classic literature OF people about
the Black Sea and Asia Minor who
practiced similar arts.
The Amos Of Japan prepare a poison
for spreading upon bamboo or metal
arrow points TO kill game with, a small
portion OF flesh about the wound being
cut out before the animal is cooked
and eaten. In Java, Borneo, New
Guinea and other Of the East India
islands the same practice obtains to a
considerable extent. The poisoning
of arrows prevails extensively in Africa
particularly on the west coast, in the
Gaboon among the Somali and with
the Bushmen the juice Of plant is
used, mixed with the pulp Of venom
Gus worm.
The best known and most active Of
arrow poisons is the woorara or urari'
OF South America. 1t is chiefly used
for the tips Of darts blown from the
blowgun. and the most important in
gredient is the juice of the plant from
which strychnine is obtained, to which
Is added certain other vegetable ele-
ments and serpent venom. In Central
America poisons are also employed on
arrows and blowgun darts. The Caribs
employed similarly, a poison made
from the sap Of a tree called tine maui
cenilles.' The antidote was the appli-
cation TO the wound of what we know
as arrow root.
The Serbs OF northwestern Mexico
prepared poison by putting into the
ground a cows liver, rattlesnakes,
scorpions, centipedes and other un-
pleasant things. and beating them
with stick. Into the mixture the
arrow-points were dipped. The
Apaches and neighboring tribes were
until recently in the habit OF
smearing upon their arrows a
composition said to consist OF de-
composed deer's liver and rattlesnake
venom. In some instances crushed
red ants are also reported to have
been used. A microscope examination
OF such coating upon arrows OBJ
tanned from Apaches in 1871 showed
the presence OF blood and a crystalline
substance that was apparently rattle
snake venom. The venom of serpents
retains its poisonous properties when
dried indefinitely. One instance Of
poisoning by such an arrow mentioned
to me was that Of man whose wound
was a mere scratch on the shoulder
blade. but previous to death, which
ensued, the flesh of the mans back
fell OF, exposing the ribs and spine in
several places.
The Shoshoni and Bannack Indians
state that the proper way to poison
arrows, as formerly practiced by them,
is TO secure deer and cause it to be
bitten by rattlesnake, Immediately
after which the victim is killed and
the meat removed and placed in hole
in the ground. When the mass has
become putrid the arrow-points are
dipped into it. The Clallams of Puget
Sound used to make arrow-points OF
copper, which were afterwards dipped
in sea water and permitted to corrode.
have never met an Indian who would
admit the use OF poisoned arrows in
warfare against man. In nearly all
instances when poisons are prepared
by Indians the operation is performed
with more or less ceremony, chanting
and incarnation, for the purpose of in
voking evil spirits or demons. In
their belief the effects Of poison are
due wholly TO the presence in them of
malevolent spirits OF demons, which
enter the body OF the victim and de-
stroy life"
A Wonderful Bronze Pagodn.