Hey, what's up guys? I hope you're doing well! Since I talked about poisonous plants in my last blogpost, I decided to research about some poisonous foods we love to eat. I liked writing this post since I think that it is very interesting. I hope you will enjoy it as I did :D
Castor Oil
Castor Oil is regularly added to candies, chocolate and other foods. Many people still consume a small daily amount or force it on their unwilling children. Castor Oil is commonly used to treat constipation. The Castor Oil we use for this purpose is prepared carefully and tested so it is safe to use. The castor bean that is used to make castor oil is so deadly, that it takes one bean to kill a human and four beans to kill a horse. Workers who collect the seeds have strict safety guidelines to prevent accidental death, but still, many people working in the fields suffer terrible side-effects.
Almonds
This is one of the most useful and wonderful of seeds, not a nut as many people think. It is one of the most popular ingredients in pastry kitchens. Bitter almonds are the most flavorsome almonds since they have the strongest scent. The problem is, they are full of cyanide. These seeds must be processed to remove the poison before consumption. Despite this processes, it is illegal to sell bitter almonds in some countries. In the USA, it is illegal to sell raw almonds. All almonds must be heat-treated to remove traces of poison and bacteria before being sold.
Bibliography:
Jfrater. "Top 10 Poisonous Foods We Love To Eat." Top 10 Lists - Listverse. List Verse, 6 Jan. 2009. Web. 29 Oct. 2011. <http://listverse.com/2009/01/06/top-10-poisonous-foods-we-love-to-eat/>.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Friday, October 21, 2011
Poisonous Plants - They can do more than harm
Poisonous plants are very abundant in the world. They can be found in almost every field, forest and even deserts all over the world. . Even though they might not be very harmful to us, they are still poisonous. In one estimate, botanists reported that 90% of all plants are poisonous during a stage of development or in some part of the plant. You might be wondering: If so, then why do animals have such a wide range of plants to eat from? (Johnson)
Bibliography
The answer is very simple: Animals have adapted to survive the small doses or poison, or they simply don't eat the parts that contain it. For example, both apple seeds and peach pits contain cyanide, which can be used to produce rat poison, but we don't eat this part of the fruit. Another example is the cashew (Nuez de la India): Toxic oils are removed from cashews before they are eaten. The poisonous oils that were removed from the plant can then be used to make brake fluid (This fluid is key in the process of hydraulic braking and hydraulic clutching in vehicles). (Johnson)
Some poisonous plants have very beautiful but deadly flowers, which can be used as decoration. The poison produced by these flowers can be used to eradicate pests. As I mentioned in other blogs, the poison produced by plants can also be used to get food. Another use of poison is healing, but not like animal venom: In the plants' case, it's poison is used to cure common illnesses. For example: A plant that causes constipation can be used to cure diarrhea, and a poison that irritates the stomach diluted out might kill what is causing an upset stomach. (Johnson)
That's all for this entry, have a great weekend! :)
Bibliography
Johnson, James. "Uses of poisonous
plants." 05 May 2009. Helium. 21 October 2011
<http://www.helium.com/items/1439771-poisonous-plants-and-their-uses-the-value-of-plant-poisons>.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Wash your hands!
Heyyy people! I hope you are all doing good. I think some of you will be more related with todays topic, I know quite a few people that are familiar with it. Here it goes!
It´s a saturday and you finally finish your homework just before dinner time. Your family decides to go out to dinner so you dress up and go out with them. You suggest to eat at your favorite restaurant and they promptly agree. After finishing your favorite meal, you go back to your home and fall asleep as soon as you lie down. You are waken up by a sudden bubbling feeling in your stomach and you feel like throwing up. Quickly, you rush to the bathroom and...Im going to stop right there...
What did just happened, and why did it happen?
Food poisoning! Food poisoning is caused when we eat foods that have harmful organisms in them such as parasites, bacteria and viruses. These are generally found in raw meat, chicken, fish and eggs but they can spread to other foods. Food poisoning can also occur when people don´t wash their hands before eating their meals. YUCK!
How do I know if i got food poisoning?
If other people that ate the same food are also sick, then it probably was food poisoning. Diarrhea and vomiting are common symptoms. Water is essential to avoid dehydration. In some case, high fever can also be a symptom. Most food poisoning is mild and will go away in 2 or 3 days. In case the symptoms become severe, a doctor should be consulted.
It´s a saturday and you finally finish your homework just before dinner time. Your family decides to go out to dinner so you dress up and go out with them. You suggest to eat at your favorite restaurant and they promptly agree. After finishing your favorite meal, you go back to your home and fall asleep as soon as you lie down. You are waken up by a sudden bubbling feeling in your stomach and you feel like throwing up. Quickly, you rush to the bathroom and...Im going to stop right there...
What did just happened, and why did it happen?
Food poisoning! Food poisoning is caused when we eat foods that have harmful organisms in them such as parasites, bacteria and viruses. These are generally found in raw meat, chicken, fish and eggs but they can spread to other foods. Food poisoning can also occur when people don´t wash their hands before eating their meals. YUCK!
How do I know if i got food poisoning?
If other people that ate the same food are also sick, then it probably was food poisoning. Diarrhea and vomiting are common symptoms. Water is essential to avoid dehydration. In some case, high fever can also be a symptom. Most food poisoning is mild and will go away in 2 or 3 days. In case the symptoms become severe, a doctor should be consulted.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Watch your step!
Hey guys, what's up? I hope you're doing great. In this blog entry, I will talk about poisonous plants. Vegetation helps the sustain of life. Plants are a part of our daily life. We eat fruits and vegetables, such as tomatoes, lettuce, apples, etc. But not all plants are safe to eat. Some parts of the plant may be edible, while the rest could be fatal even if eaten in small doses. Some poison can only cause a mild rash and nausea.
One of the most famous poisonous plants is the Poison Ivy. When a person touches a Poison Ivy's plants, stem or roots, he can have an allergic reaction to the poison. "About 85 percent of people are allergic to the urushiol (the poisonous agent) in poison ivy, according to the American Academy of Dermatology". (Wilson)
This reaction is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. This means that symptoms might not appear until several hours or days have gone by. Most people don't have a reaction the first time they touch poison ivy, but they can develop an allergic reaction after repeated exposure. Everyone has a different reaction to poison ivy. Sensitivity to the plant decreases with age and repeated exposures to the venom. (Wilson)
Dead poison ivy is still dangerous, since the poison can last for up to 5 years. It can also be transferred to other surfaces, so a reaction can occur if you touch a plant that is covered with the poison. The poison can still cause an allergic reaction even if you don't touch it: If the plant is burnt or mowed, the poison can be released into the air and you can inhale it. This is very dangerous because it can damage lung tissue and it could cause death. (Dunphy)
Works Cited
One of the most famous poisonous plants is the Poison Ivy. When a person touches a Poison Ivy's plants, stem or roots, he can have an allergic reaction to the poison. "About 85 percent of people are allergic to the urushiol (the poisonous agent) in poison ivy, according to the American Academy of Dermatology". (Wilson)
This reaction is a delayed hypersensitivity reaction. This means that symptoms might not appear until several hours or days have gone by. Most people don't have a reaction the first time they touch poison ivy, but they can develop an allergic reaction after repeated exposure. Everyone has a different reaction to poison ivy. Sensitivity to the plant decreases with age and repeated exposures to the venom. (Wilson)
Dead poison ivy is still dangerous, since the poison can last for up to 5 years. It can also be transferred to other surfaces, so a reaction can occur if you touch a plant that is covered with the poison. The poison can still cause an allergic reaction even if you don't touch it: If the plant is burnt or mowed, the poison can be released into the air and you can inhale it. This is very dangerous because it can damage lung tissue and it could cause death. (Dunphy)
Works Cited
Dunphy, Jim. Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac - Fast
Facts. 2011. 22 September 2011
<http://poisonivy.aesir.com/view/fastfacts.html>.
Wilson, Stephanie. "How Poisn Ivy Works."
23 September 2005. How Stuff Works. 22 September 2011 <http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/life/botany/poison-ivy.htm>.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Poisonous Animals
When you hear the word "Poison", what is the first animal that you picture? Probably you pictured a snake. In my case, I think of rattlesnakes. But reptiles aren't the only animals that can poison other living things. In this blog entry, I will talk briefly about some of the most curious poisonous animals in the world .
I think the most extraordinary poisonous animal is "The Hooded Pitohui". Until now, it is one of the very few poisonous birds discovered in the world. (Other poisonous birds are variants of the Pitohui species and the Blue Capped Ifrita ). The poison will only cause numbness and tingling, therefore it isn't a very dangerous animal.Curiously, the toxin used by the Pitohui is similar to that of the Poison Dart Frog, and higher doses of the poison are dangerously lethal. Touching a Hooded Pitohui will result in poisoning, since it's skin and feathers are covered in this toxin. (Your Science Blog)
Unlike the Pitohui, which uses it's venom to protect itself, the Marbled Cone Snail uses it's venom as a weapon to capture prey. A drop of this snail's poison could kill more than 20 people. Some symptoms include intense pain, numbness, swelling and affect a person's hearing, vision and speech. This snail shoots a harpoon at it's prey from within it's shell, which instantly paralyzes it. Then, the snail reels it in and feeds on it. These species of snails are called "cigarette snails", because after being stung by one, it's victim only has time to smoke a cigarette before dying. (iloveindia.com)
Works Cited
I think the most extraordinary poisonous animal is "The Hooded Pitohui". Until now, it is one of the very few poisonous birds discovered in the world. (Other poisonous birds are variants of the Pitohui species and the Blue Capped Ifrita ). The poison will only cause numbness and tingling, therefore it isn't a very dangerous animal.Curiously, the toxin used by the Pitohui is similar to that of the Poison Dart Frog, and higher doses of the poison are dangerously lethal. Touching a Hooded Pitohui will result in poisoning, since it's skin and feathers are covered in this toxin. (Your Science Blog)
Unlike the Pitohui, which uses it's venom to protect itself, the Marbled Cone Snail uses it's venom as a weapon to capture prey. A drop of this snail's poison could kill more than 20 people. Some symptoms include intense pain, numbness, swelling and affect a person's hearing, vision and speech. This snail shoots a harpoon at it's prey from within it's shell, which instantly paralyzes it. Then, the snail reels it in and feeds on it. These species of snails are called "cigarette snails", because after being stung by one, it's victim only has time to smoke a cigarette before dying. (iloveindia.com)
Works Cited
iloveindia.com. Facts About Marbled Cone Snail.
n.d. 9 September 2011
<http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/facts-about-marbled-cone-snail-7605.html>.
Your Science Blog. Science Blog. 5 February
2008. 9 September 2011 <http://yourscienceblog.blogspot.com/>.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Could there possibly be another use for poison?
Hey guys, what's up? ;) I hope your doing well. In this entry I will talk about another very important use of poison. Can you guess what it is? Since poison can kill, what can you use it for? (No, I don't mean killing people, but you're on the right track.) Most people are afraid of poison because it is very dangerous, but humans found a way to benefit from it: Using poison to hunt.
The Poison Dart Frog is a very poisonous amphibian which is commonly found in South American jungles. It is one the most poisonous animals in the world. An adult Phyllobates Terribilis contains 1 milligram of poison, which is enough to kill between ten and twenty humans. You might be wondering, why do they call it "Poison Dart Frog"? Colombian Indians use the frog's poison to cover their darts with it and make them lethal. The blowpipe and darts are made by hand out of slivers of palm wood, hardened over a fire. These darts are commonly used on game such as deer, armadillos, and several species of large forest birds. Sometimes they were used in battles. The Émbera people are famous for their high accuracy with blowpipes. Since the poison is very lethal, 1 direct hit will kill the target very quickly. (Dendro Works)
How does this tribe extract the poison from the frog? The frog is first impaled on a sharp piece of wood, and then it is sort of cooked in fire. Blisters, which are full of poison, will start to emerge on the frog's skin. The darts are then rubbed against these blisters, and the poison will adhere to them. Curiously, this poison can be stored in the frog for years and will still affect its target. Even if the toxins are transferred to another surface, the poison is still very dangerous. (Dendro Works)
As I continue to post entries about this topic, my interest grows more and more. I hope you are liking it too, cheers. :)
The Poison Dart Frog is a very poisonous amphibian which is commonly found in South American jungles. It is one the most poisonous animals in the world. An adult Phyllobates Terribilis contains 1 milligram of poison, which is enough to kill between ten and twenty humans. You might be wondering, why do they call it "Poison Dart Frog"? Colombian Indians use the frog's poison to cover their darts with it and make them lethal. The blowpipe and darts are made by hand out of slivers of palm wood, hardened over a fire. These darts are commonly used on game such as deer, armadillos, and several species of large forest birds. Sometimes they were used in battles. The Émbera people are famous for their high accuracy with blowpipes. Since the poison is very lethal, 1 direct hit will kill the target very quickly. (Dendro Works)
How does this tribe extract the poison from the frog? The frog is first impaled on a sharp piece of wood, and then it is sort of cooked in fire. Blisters, which are full of poison, will start to emerge on the frog's skin. The darts are then rubbed against these blisters, and the poison will adhere to them. Curiously, this poison can be stored in the frog for years and will still affect its target. Even if the toxins are transferred to another surface, the poison is still very dangerous. (Dendro Works)
As I continue to post entries about this topic, my interest grows more and more. I hope you are liking it too, cheers. :)
Works Cited:
Dendro Works. The Original Poison Dart Frog.
2011. 1 August 2011
<http://www.dendroworks.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57>.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Collecting Poison
Hey guys, how are you doing? I hope you're doing well. In this entry I will talk a bit more about antivenin, and a more detailed explanation of how to get it to then produce antidotes for poisons. As I mentioned in my last post, a small quantity of a poison can be injected to a big animal to make it produce antivenin. Then this antivenin is injected to a victim to save him. It all sounds easy, but... How and where do we get the poison from to make the antidotes?
To treat snake bites, the first step is collecting the poison. It is very important to collect poison for the right snake. Sometimes you don't need a poison from exactly the same species of snake; poison from the subfamily is sometimes enough. Pit Vipers (Cottonmouth, Copperhead, Rattlesnakes etc.) is an example of a subfamily of snakes, one antidote produced from one of these will work for the rest of the subfamily. When collecting poison, the snake is forced to bite against a cloth covered glass jar. When the snake's fangs strike the cloth, the poison is released into the glass. This process is called "milking a snake". This poison is then sent to a lab. (Shorter)
In the lab, the poison is injected in small safe quantities into a sheep or a horse so it can produce the antibodies to protect it against the poison. Over the next 2 months, it is injected with increasing doses of poison, until it can resist doses that are even more hazardous than one that could've killed him (Before being adapted to poison). Blood is then extracted from the animal and centrifuged to separate white blood cells from red blood cells. The white blood cells, which contain the antibodies, are then sent to hospitals. But watch out!!! Before treating a victim with the antidote, it is important to test how his body reacts to the antidote. Some people react negatively to antibodies from animals, and even some are killed because of this and not the poison. (East Kentucky Power Cooperative)
Works Cited
East Kentucky Power Cooperative. How Antivenin is Made. n.d. 25 August 2011 <http://www.ekpc.coop/newgreenweb/naturenotes/notes/antivenin.htm>.
Shorter, C.M. Snake Antivenom. n.d. 25 August 2011 <http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/snake-antivenom.cfm>.
To treat snake bites, the first step is collecting the poison. It is very important to collect poison for the right snake. Sometimes you don't need a poison from exactly the same species of snake; poison from the subfamily is sometimes enough. Pit Vipers (Cottonmouth, Copperhead, Rattlesnakes etc.) is an example of a subfamily of snakes, one antidote produced from one of these will work for the rest of the subfamily. When collecting poison, the snake is forced to bite against a cloth covered glass jar. When the snake's fangs strike the cloth, the poison is released into the glass. This process is called "milking a snake". This poison is then sent to a lab. (Shorter)
In the lab, the poison is injected in small safe quantities into a sheep or a horse so it can produce the antibodies to protect it against the poison. Over the next 2 months, it is injected with increasing doses of poison, until it can resist doses that are even more hazardous than one that could've killed him (Before being adapted to poison). Blood is then extracted from the animal and centrifuged to separate white blood cells from red blood cells. The white blood cells, which contain the antibodies, are then sent to hospitals. But watch out!!! Before treating a victim with the antidote, it is important to test how his body reacts to the antidote. Some people react negatively to antibodies from animals, and even some are killed because of this and not the poison. (East Kentucky Power Cooperative)
East Kentucky Power Cooperative. How Antivenin is Made. n.d. 25 August 2011 <http://www.ekpc.coop/newgreenweb/naturenotes/notes/antivenin.htm>.
Shorter, C.M. Snake Antivenom. n.d. 25 August 2011 <http://www.tigerhomes.org/animal/snake-antivenom.cfm>.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Introduction to Poison
What is poison? By poison, I understand that it is a substance that is very deadly or harmful to the human body when ingested or by touching it. A trait that I consider important about poisons, is that they not only cause a physical wound, but also affect our body's functions (It doesn't only cuts the skin like a knife, but it also interferes with the nervous system). According to google, a poison is "A substance that, when introduced into or absorbed by a living organism, causes death or injury, especially one that kills by rapid action even in a small quantity". (Google Inc,) For a very long time, humans have used poison to dispatch their foes. Socrates was executed in the year 399 B.C., by being forced to drink a cup of poison hemlock. The first person to be document to study poisons was the Kemite pharaoh Menes. His findings contributed to the writing of a papyrus dated circa 1553 B.C. , it contains 700
different drugs (including poisons) of animal, mineral or plant origin. (Clark)
Poison can also be helpful
This papyrus also includes another significant finding: the antidotes for the poisons that are listed in it. Some treatments were worthless. For example, whiskey was a common treatment for snakebites in the 19th century. In the 1920's, Brazilian researches proved it was worthless, and it actually sped up the poisoning process. This Brazilian researches also came up with a very smart method to fight the venom: fighting fire with fire. In other words: Fighting poison with poison. Researches realized that by introducing small amounts of poison to big animals like horses, the animal created antibodies called antivenin, which fights against the venom. Then the antivenin was extracted from the immunized animal's hemoglobin and then injected to a snakebite victim. Then the antivenin attached to the poison and prevented it from interfering with the human body's processes. (Clark)
Works Cited
Clark, Josh. ""Why would you take poison as medicine?"." 25 July 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. 2011 August 18 <<http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/modern/poison-as-medicine.htm>>.
Google Inc. Poison - Definition. n.d. 18 August 2011 <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=poison+dictionary#pq=poison%20meaning&hl=en&sugexp=gsihc&cp=9&gs_id=11&xhr=t&q=poison+definition&qe=cG9pc29uIGRl&qesig=BNujU_7iohu3-DXSoqM0KA&pkc=AFgZ2tmJ_4d8sztlfVyDJDIsrm4QCKh9sV70ZcNGbzzG52ozPmtchRHrVY0Fa0QZgZiQZvCw>.
different drugs (including poisons) of animal, mineral or plant origin. (Clark)
Poison can also be helpful
This papyrus also includes another significant finding: the antidotes for the poisons that are listed in it. Some treatments were worthless. For example, whiskey was a common treatment for snakebites in the 19th century. In the 1920's, Brazilian researches proved it was worthless, and it actually sped up the poisoning process. This Brazilian researches also came up with a very smart method to fight the venom: fighting fire with fire. In other words: Fighting poison with poison. Researches realized that by introducing small amounts of poison to big animals like horses, the animal created antibodies called antivenin, which fights against the venom. Then the antivenin was extracted from the immunized animal's hemoglobin and then injected to a snakebite victim. Then the antivenin attached to the poison and prevented it from interfering with the human body's processes. (Clark)
Works Cited
Clark, Josh. ""Why would you take poison as medicine?"." 25 July 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. 2011 August 18 <<http://health.howstuffworks.com/medicine/modern/poison-as-medicine.htm>>.
Google Inc. Poison - Definition. n.d. 18 August 2011 <http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=poison+dictionary#pq=poison%20meaning&hl=en&sugexp=gsihc&cp=9&gs_id=11&xhr=t&q=poison+definition&qe=cG9pc29uIGRl&qesig=BNujU_7iohu3-DXSoqM0KA&pkc=AFgZ2tmJ_4d8sztlfVyDJDIsrm4QCKh9sV70ZcNGbzzG52ozPmtchRHrVY0Fa0QZgZiQZvCw>.
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