Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-07
POISON AND ITS USES
HARMLESS PLANTS POPULARITY
CONSIDERED DANGEROUS.
The Theory That Poisons Are Secreted
in Herbs for Their
Protection.
From the New York Evening Post.


1t Is not so very many years ago when
the majority of the afflicted OF mankind
turned instinctively to the woods and fields
for herbs and simples TO cure them of their
his 4: did not require much research TO
discover that side by side with plants most
beneficial grew many deadly to man and his
lesser brothers, the animals. II is a ques-
uoh which character OF plants a primitive
people availed themselves most OF, for pol
sons were long considered convenient and
safe means for disposing of ar enemy and
thelr use has not yet been abandoned by
more or less savage tribes.
Today the vegetable kingdom IL sim
iarseiy depended upon for poisons and pal
natives medicines and painkIllers. real or
imaginary, but the fact is generally lost
sight OF In the bewildering array of ex-
tracts and tinctures. chemicals and mar
coucs, displayed on the apothecaries'
shelves, In lieu of the bundles of herbs
which used to hang from the ceiling or
rafters of the earlier shops.
Dr h. ii. Rusby of the College of Phar-
macy recently reminded a number of botan-
lists and their friends I'm a lecture at the
New York Botanical Garden Of the 'Vege-
table Poisons and Their Strange Uses" Al
though he talked for an hour. he had 10
regret that the time was too brief TO more
than touch upon the subject. He began by
pointing out that some plants popularity re-
garded as poisons are not so. but net me-
Chemically. Such are some Of the western
grasses, which kill sheep by their long,
sharp stout barbed awns, which pierce the
digestive organs and cause fatal inhamma-
ton.
What Constitutes Poison.
In order to be poisonous. the effects in or
upon the body must be chemical o. rrc'.-
cular. Hence II is not the plant body
which is poisonous but some chemical con-
stituent within the cells. Often these SUBJ
stances can be seen with the microscope,
In crystalline form In the dried plant It's
sues. This is true of strychptne in nux
vomica seeds. In other instances the poi
sons cannot be seen. and are very difficult
to separate and study.
Students are divided in opinion on the
question: why are poisons present in
plants?" One answers that they not
there for any purpose: that they are waste
substances, and are poisonous because such
substances are usually so, and that the
plant deposits them In leaves. outer bark.
fruits and seeds, until IL can get rid OF
them by the falling off of these deciduous
parts.
Another view is that during such time
they remain they are of use to the plant.
and It is for this reason that they exist In
It's body, In the form and with the proper
ties they possess. DIR. Rusby holds the lat
ter view Usually, he believes, the poisons
serve to protect the plant. and in general
exist where such protection is most needed
The percentage OF poison varies WITH the
stage and development of the plant, or with
the season, and such variations usually CO.
incide with the need Of greater or less pro
lection by the plant. The poison oil me
from one part of the plant to another, &C
cording to its special need Of such safe
guard.
deadly to vegetable germs which cause the
plant to decay. They are usually produced
when needed, and many OF them are heVe,
brought forth otherwise. The lnlportailt
medicinal substance, copaiba, is stored ia
the tree trunks as soon as decay produces
a cavity. 1t tends to check aecay, but IL
powerless to prevent it, continues TO IN
crease in quantity. Substances useu he og
utilized by man for the same purpose, "hte
substances poisonous In large alnou,..a
have been found to bring ABOUT mn,
ment in diseased conditions III iiiouii'" "'
reduced doses.
Fishing With Poisons.
Catching fish with poison is so common
among the Indians at least that inc iiuis
of the Cocculus Indicus. the substance
oftenest used is best known as nsh-perry'
Its poisonous constituent ls picrolotlll'
which acts in many ways IKE strycIilihes
but does not affect the wholesomehess VI
the fish for food. In tropical America many
vegetable substances, containing sapromh
and tannin, are used for the same purpose
The sapronin acts somewhat IKE suSGh
nine while the tannn is said to act by
combining with the free oxygen In the
water compelling the fishes TO come TO the
surface for oxygen. In all these cases the
fish are merely intoxicated and caused 10
founder helpIessly to the surface, where
they are easily caught. Humanity, as
whole has come to look upon poison as n
too cowardly and ignoble weapon for any
class to employ. so convicted criminals can
now eat their meals with safety and one s
enemies feel equally secure at table. In In
dia however, poison is still an approved
weapon of revenge, and the cattle or tho
enemy the most common victims.
For such a work a seed, resembling
small pea scarlet, with a black eye, Is
usually employed. Locally it is called love-
pea, or jequirity Properly it is known as
abrus. The seed is very poisonous If eaten.
and much more so If 1t gets into the blood
through a wound. Its active constituent Is
absin mixture of two toXalbumens, very
similar to snake venom and much more
poisonous. The natives grind the seed to
a fine powder, mix 1t to a pulp with water,
and mold 1t into sharp pencil-like points.
These are mounted on the end of a stick
and used to prick the animal which usually
dies within a night. Human beings have
been known to have been poisoned In this
way A preparation Of these seeds is also
used in severe and obstinate cases OF gran
ulated eyeids, but the treatment is heroic,
and is resorted to only as last means.
TIL Tn.u o. n.ll>