Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-25
Po4soNS FOR ARROWS.
The Various Oueer Ways In Which They Were Obtained by Savage Peoples.

The Various Oueer Ways In Which They
 Were Obtained by Savage Peoples.
 The use of poisoned arrows is undoubt- edly of very ancient origin" said Dr. w, Hoffman. They arc believed to have been employed in Europe in prehistoric times, and later on, according to Aristotle. Strabo and Phny, the Cclts and Gauls envcuomed their shafts with the juice of plant of the genus hellebOre- The SCythians prepared Rrrow poison by mixing serpent venom with the serum of putrid blood, and other instances are recorded in literature of peo- pies in the Black sea and in 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, small portion of flesh about the wound being cut out be fore the animal is cooked and eaten. In Java, Borneo, New Guinea, and other of the East India islands the same practice obtains to Il considerable extent. The poi soning of arrows prevails extensively in Africa, particularly on the west coast in the GabOon, among the Somali, and with the Bushmen. By the Bushmen the juice of plant is used, mixed with the pulp of venomous worm
 'The best known and most active of poi sons is the 'wootara or 'ur;ri' of South America It is chiefly used for the tips of darts blown from the blowgun, and the most imporant ingredient is the juice of the plant from which strychnine is ob- tained, to which is added certain other vegetable elements and serpent venom In Central America poisons are also em ployed on arrows and blowgun darts The CaribS employed n poison made from the sap of tree called the 'mancenlles.' The antidote was the application to the wound of what we know as 'arrowroot-'
 tAIhR SRriS Of NpyicO r,Fa. pared poison by putting into the ground a cows liver, rattlcsnakes, scorpions centi- pedeS and other unpleasant things and beating them with n stick. Into the mix lures 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 decomposed deer's liver and rattlesnake venom In some instances crushed red ants are also reported to have been used. A microscopic examination of such q coat ing upon arrows obtained from Apaches n 1871 showed the presence of blood and n crystalline substance that was apparently rattlesnake venom The venom of serpents retains its poisonous properties, when dried, indefinitely. One instance of poi soning by such an arrow mentioned to me was that of a man whose wound was 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 Shoshone and Bannock 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 a rattle snake, 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 cop per, which were afterward dipped in sea water and permitted to corroda have never met an Indian who would admit the use of poisoned arrows in warfare against man In nearly all instances when poi sons are prepared by Indians the operation is performed with more or less ceremony. chanting and incantation for the purpose of invoking evil spirits or demons In their belief the effects of poison are due wholly to the presence in them of malevo- lent spirits or demons, which enter the body of the victim and destroy Gfe.'