(Author's note: since this month's article is on poisons, I'll stress now, as I will many times throughout the piece to NEVER, EVER try any of the plants and fungi contained within. Some can kill even in the smallest doses. Besides, I'm far from an herbalist myself - merely an interested amateur. So don't try this at home, kids. Ever. Avoid at all costs. Period.)

Welcome to this month's edition of Apothecary's nook. Today, we’ll explore the darker side of the healing arts with a look at some of the most commonly used poisons, how to prepare them, and when to use them. Remember, gentlebeasts, this isn't something you'd want to try without a lot of professional training... which is exactly what our two experts are going to share with us.

Tiberuvsky Ramier: Please welcome back? our Redwall Healer, Fernwood, and our guest this week, Sir Ganagreus... who appears to be missing. In his place is...

Monsieur Grenauld: I'm afraid the Chief Food Taster came down with a slight - ah - bellyache, and couldn't make it. I'm Monsieur Grenauld, the head of... a group of like-minded individuals with an awful lot of interest in herbs. Fernwood: Poisoners. So, what's on the menu today? So to speak...

TR: We’re going to discuss poisons. Let’s start with one of the most well-known poisons, Belladonna, also known as Deadly Nightshade. One of our readers, Spidott, asked about its uses as a poison and a medicine in his letter: "I was/am asking you about belladonna and deadly nightshade. Can you tell me about them? Like what poisons, medicines they can be used in, etc.?”.

MG: What can't be said about good old Belladonna? It's a staple of any good apothecary. Common around the land, easy to spot and harvest, and very effective.

TR: How does it work?

MG: Well, it's first and foremost a sedative. It puts the victim to sleep within hours. It slows the heart and breathing, and from there it's lassitude into death. Even better, it only seems to affect the involuntary muscles, which end up losing control as they're poisoned. It's a surprisingly peaceful death, compared to some of the other poisons available.

TR: And how can it be used?

MG: If you can think of it, it's possible: Through a wound, added to food or drink, or even used as eyedrops. Knowing what part of the plant to use is important. The leaves, especially of young shoots, are effective in their own right, as are the berries. The roots, however, are the truly potent parts of the plant. Also, the bulb of Belladonna can have up to four times the amount of poisons of the rest of the plant.

FW: But Deadly Nightshade isn't only a poison. It has many medicinal uses, when used with care. Like Grenauld said, its principal use is as a sedative. Adding small amounts to a tea will calm the most restless patients. Also, it can be used to still heart and lung problems, especially whooping cough. And, when used extremely sparingly in eyedrops, it is essential to any work done on the eyes.

TR: Next, we have Larkspur.

MG: Larkspur is a less-commonly known poison... the seeds are definitely the part most sought after. As it gets older, it becomes less potent, so if one cultivates it themselves, some must be saved for future plants. Also, it can only be practically used to poison food.

TR: And the symptoms?

MG: Less lethal than Belladonna but more grisly. It causes severe abdominal pain, accompanied by all the joys therein. Depression and finally death by suffocation follow. The other problem with it is that much more must be ingested. A good way to circumvent this problem is to use oil from the seeds. Still, if a more effective poison is unavailable, this is a viable alternative.

FW: It should be noted that it's virtually useless in medicine. It's only effective as a curative for lice and other mites, when sparingly applied to the fur.

TR: What about Monkshood or Wolfsbane?

MG: Monkshood has been an effective poison used on blades for countless seasons. It's extremely strong – just a few drops can kill, and can even poison through the skin. It causes breathing trouble and heart failure within an hour. Young tubers are the most valuable parts of the plant, and easily the most potent.

FW: As with all poisons, in small amounts, it is helpful - as a painkiller in this case.

TR: Finally, we leave the herbs behind for an oftentimes overlooked group of resources: mushrooms, specifically, the Death Cup.

MG: Ah... The Death Cup mushroom is one of the nastier ones around. It is often mistaken by beasts who think it is the more tame, hallucinogenic cousin. Death Cups are fatal anywhere from 60 to 100 percent of the time, but, like larkspur, are only really effective if eaten.

TR: Ouch. And what are the symptoms?

MG: Well, first and foremost are severe stomach pains. Soon after, internal organs shut down, and death is extremely painful. But it is rather hit-or-miss. Either the victim will die within two days, or they'll begin recovery within a week. Of course, it takes about a month to fully recover, so a second dose, or a dose of a different poison can be applied if the initial effort fails. Also, symptoms can take up to a day to appear, so it's good for foiling food-testers. They're rare, however, and difficult to cultivate.

TR: Thanks again to the both of you for your advice and help!

~~~

Plant info: Apropa belladonna, commonly known as Deadly Nightshade, is one of the most poisonous plants known to man. Like most plants, the poisons are caused by alkaloids present in the tissues, in this case Atropine. As little as over 5 grains is fatal to an adult. The medicinal amount is actually as little as 1/100 to 1/200 of a grain!

Delphinium ezaltatum, or Larkspur, is also a powerful poison, however, it has no real medicinal use. The alkaloid present in this plant is a diterpenoid that can be brought into the body even through extensive handling, so Larkspur should be avoided more than even other poisonous plants.

Amanita palloides, the Death Cup, is named after the small bulb that is left around the stalk of the mushroom when it grows. It is commonly mistaken for its cousin, Amanita muscaria, a hallucinogenic mushroom sought for its psychoactive properties by drug users. A. palloides contains the deadly polypeptide amanitin, which, as stated, causes death in well over half of its victims.

Monkshood, Aconitum columbianum, commonly known as wolfsbane, is a common poisonous plant found primarily in higher altitudes, though it is now being used as a lawn ornamentation in urban areas(!). This poisonous plant can kill if 2-5 mg are ingested. Its deadly ingredient is the powerful alkaloid aconite, which is present in up to 3% concentration in young tubers. While that doesn't sound impressive, most other plants contain less than 1%, a paltry sum by comparison.

For the amateur herbalist: DO NOT try to cultivate these plants and fungi. And -never- try to use them from the wild.

Next issue we’ll look at the different types of herbs and plants that the average traveler should know about, should he be low on provisions.

As usual, feel free to email me, now at tpinkerton@gmail.com, with your questions on anything involving healers. Herbs, poisons, clarifications on this or previous articles, questions on general healing practices (anything from stitches to sterilization): I'll answer it all, first in a reply to you as soon as I can, then your question will be featured in the following month's article.

Special thanks to: Spidott for the question. Plants That Poison by Ervin M. Schnutz, and the following websites: here, here, here, and here, for their resources.