Poison Mysteries in History: Romance and Crime
9781465554000
418 pages
Library of Alexandria
Overview
Poisons, those silent weapons capable of destroying life mysteriously, secretly and without violence, have ever had a peculiar fascination for mankind. They have played so large a part in history at various periods, in romance as well as in crime, that the subject is one which claims the attention of every student of human nature. A poison may be generally described as any substance which, in a small quantity, when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism, destroys life by rapid action. In another sense a substance may be termed a poison that has a cumulative effect if administered for a length of time so that it ends fatally. Substances of this description were called venim, venyn, venum or bane in the Middle Ages, and also termed “slow poisons.” It is probable that many substances which had the effect of destroying life were observed and used by primitive man from a period of remote antiquity. When injured in a tribal battle, by perhaps a flint arrow-head or stone axe, he no doubt sought for something to revenge himself on his enemy. In his search for curative substances he also found noxious ones, which produced unpleasant effects when applied to the point of a weapon destined to enter the internal economy of an opponent. He doubtless observed that the arrow-head and spear on which the blood of former victims had dried caused wounds which often proved fatal, owing to the action of what we now term septic poisons. This may have led him to experiment with the juices of plants till he discovered something of a more deadly character. The observations of primitive man as to the poisonous effects of plants on animal life is evident from some of the names which he gave to them in early times. Instances of these are perpetuated in cowbane (the water hemlock), which often has a fatal effect on cattle; sowbane, so called, says Parkinson in his Herbal, as it was observed to kill swine; wolf’s bane, leopard’s bane, henbane, and many others which might be mentioned, showing that primitive man must have observed the evil effects on the animal whose name he associated with them. In primeval times both the poisonous and medicinal properties of plants appear to have been first discovered and kept secret by the most observant and intelligent members of pastoral and nomadic tribes. The possessor of such secrets wielded an immense power over his fellows and often combined the office of medicine-man and priest. He reserved to himself as much as possible the knowledge which he had acquired of plants and their uses, and particularly those which would produce stupor, delirium and death, for by these means he was enabled to exert a greater influence over others. The study, therefore, of the poisons employed by primitive races for destroying life in animals and man is one of considerable interest. Arrow-heads and spear-heads, worked with depressions, probably for holding poisons, have been found in cave remains of the palæolithic period in France. Laigneau is of the opinion that these weapons were first used to destroy large animals, such as the bison and reindeer, and were probably also used in tribal warfare. Τοξιχόν, the Greek word used to denote poison, takes its origin from a word signifying a bow, which probably symbolized a poison-tipped arrow, a custom still practised by savage tribes in various parts of the world. It seems but a natural sequence that man should have turned to his own account the knowledge he acquired of the effects of the substances which proved deadly when introduced into the body by either external or internal means, as in them he found a more secure and secret weapon by means of which he could rid himself of the objects of his jealousy, hatred or revenge. The Greek toxican, from which the word toxicology is derived, is believed to have been used for the poisonous substance into which the arrow-heads were dipped.
