Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-17
A HEADACHE CURE.



medicine used By the Mundurucus and
called "guarana" has recently attained much
popularity in the United States and in Europe
as a headache cure. 1t is made from the seeds
of climbing plant which are roasted in their
envelopes and then taken out and pounded be-
tween stones. The powder thus obtained is
mixed with water so as to form a stiff paste
which is nodded into cubes and left to dry
When used the vegetable brick is scraped into
water, about teaspoonful going to the pint,
and the medicine is complete. 1t has a stmu-
latlng effect on the system and is very valuable
In the treatment of certain forms OF intermit-
tent fever. These savages utilize largely as
food the nuts of the tree which bears what are
commonly called monkey cups" because the
seeds are contained in hard spherical en-
velope. which has a movable lid that falls off
when the fruit is ripe, so that the monkeys are
able to get at the nuts inside. The so-calied
Brazil nuts grow in a similar fashion. bu. the
spherical cups containing them have no lids
and must be sawed or broken open. When the
fruit is ripe it falls to the ground with such
force that If 1t were to strike n man on the
head it would kill him. In order to guard
themselves against such accidents the Nun
durucus always wear thick wooden caps when
they go after Brazil nuts and are careful to
walk very upright. so not to be struck on the
back of the neck.
THE BLOW PIPES IN GUIANA.
The blow pipes used by the savages of Guiana
for shooting poisoned arrows are very wonder
full weapons indeed. The climate of this equa-
torial region, being both very hot and very
moist, produces a vegetation of astonishing
luxuriance. The forests are commonly ankle
deep In water for mile after mile. and, conSe-
quently, the animals found there mostly inhabit
the trees. Monkeys are exceedingly numerous.
For killing these tree-dwelling creatures the
blow gun is the best possible instrument. 1t is
made from a peculiar kind of reed and. although
- 4
only pound and a half. 1t is provided, like a
rifle, with fore sight and back sight. the latter
being made Of the teeth of small beast called
the acouchi The natives are most careful re-
speeding the straightness of their blow guns
and never allow them to lean against anything
lest they should be warped. The arrows en-
ployed are made from the leaf ribs of kind of
palm, made to fit the bore Of the gun by a
wrapping of wild cotton fastened with fiber
of silk grass. Great art is required to put on
the cotton properly. The arrow is about ten
inches long, no thicker than a crow quill, and
at one end is brought to point sharp as a
needle by scraping it between the keen-edged
saw-hke teeth of the pirai fish. One half of a
parai jaw is always suspended to the quiver.
THE VEGETABLE POISON
used for envenoming the arrows is called
''curari." 1t is extremely powerful and will
kill a man within few minutes when intro
duced into the circulation by an arrow point.
though II Is harmless when swallowed. 1t is
very difficult to procure the strongest 'curari''
from the natives, who most unwilling to
part with it. The arrowheads are kept care,
fully separate from the shafts as precaution
against accidents, the savages themselves being
very much afraid of the poisons which they
employ. The secret of preparing the poison Is
handed down by the medicine men from gem
GRAFTON to generation and the common people
are not permitted to know it. The process is a
very complicated one. First must be sought
the curari vine. which is closely. allied to the
tree which furnishes strychnne, and to the
upas tree from which the Dyaks Ct Borneo ge,
the poison for their arrows. When the
poison maker has found the curari he looks
for two dubious plants, the stems o:
which yield a glutinous juice. Another
vegetable ingredient is a bitter root. COM
| monty used by these savages in poisoning
water for the purpose of catching fish. 70
| the mixture composed of these elements the
medicine man adds two kinds of venomous
ants and the poison fangs of two deadly species
of snakes. The whole is allowed to simmer
over fire, the snakes faugs and ants being
pounded and thrown into the pot. The boiling
Is continued until the poison ia reduced to .
| thick brown strip. Finally few arrows are
dipped experimentally in the poison and its ef-
| feet Is tried upon some animal or bird. II
| satisfactory the poison is poured into a spheri-
| cal earthenware pot. in which it is kept, care
| fully covered over with leaves, to exclude ali
| and moisture.
Il