Common but poisonous
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very informative.
i'll take a lookout.
flower tea anyone?
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means can pluck those parts can cause diarrhoea to my enemies
jkjk!
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Notti, notti! -
ho ho ho! i will just spike them a tiny dose of everything every other day
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Read the fine print please.
Disclaimer: This thread (hereby known as "Common but poisonous" ) was put up purely and solely for educational purpose, with no mischief intended whatsoever. The thread-starter shall not be liable for any mishap arising out of any mischief through any possible misuse of the information posted here by any prankster or any spurned lover who may hold any misguided intention whatsoever. -
dun worry, this is no slim 11 caseOriginally posted by Wanda:Read the fine print please.
Disclaimer: This thread (hereby known as "Common but poisonous" ) was put up purely and solely for educational purpose, with no mischief intended whatsoever. The thread-starter shall not be liable for any mishap arising out of any mischief through any possible misuse of the information posted here by any prankster or any spurned lover who may hold any misguided intention whatsoever. -
Its very informative and interesting but I thought I've eaten some of the flowers shown before and I'm ok...well, maybe just lucky.
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Lucky, and you probably have a strong stomach!Originally posted by Ravelin:Its very informative and interesting but I thought I've eaten some of the flowers shown before and I'm ok...well, maybe just lucky.
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SNAKES
There are 15 snake families and the venomous species, with only a few exceptions, belong to two of them: Elapidae and Viperidae.
Cobras, mambas, kraits, coral snakes and sea snakes are elapids. They are all venomous snakes and can be found in warmer parts of the world, except Europe and Madagascar.
The second family, Viperidae, includes vipers and pit vipers. These again are all venomous snakes that have long, hinged fangs. They live in most parts of the world, except in Australia and Madagascar. The difference between the true vipers and pitvipers is that the pitvipers have an additional sense organ located in front and just below the eyes. These are the so-called heat pits that allow pit vipers to hunt with remarkable accuracy, even in total darkness.
Venomous Snakes
There are three types of venomous snakes: opysthoglyph, proteroglyph and solenoglyph.
Opysthoglyphs are mostly harmless or mildly venomous snakes. Their fangs are enlarged rear teeth with a groove that venom flows down while they are swallowing their prey. However, there are snakes of this type that are known to have killed humans before, for example the Boomslang (Dispholidus typus). Another good example of this type is the Mangrove snake (D. dendrophila).
Proteroglyphs have small, fixed, non-movable front fangs. When they bite they hang on and chew their prey to envenomate it. Cobras (Naja), mambas (Dendroaspis), kraits (Bungarus), taipans (Oxyuranus), coral snakes (Micrurus) and sea snakes are good examples of this type. They are some of the deadliest snakes in the world.
Solenoglyphs have movable front fangs that fold back into the mouth until they are needed. These snakes are very dangerous for they can open their mouths almost 180 degrees with their fangs extended straight out. They can strike at any portion of the body and their attack is much unpredictable. Rattlesnakes (Crotalus), eyelash vipers (Bothriechis), gaboon vipers (Bitis), cottonmouths and copperheads (Agkistrodon) belong to this type.
Snake Venom
Snake venom is modified saliva that is primarily used for hunting (capturing and digesting the prey). Some venom is hematoxic (affecting the blood). Almost all American pit vipers have hematoxic venom. It destroys tissues and causes great pain, swelling and thinning or thickening of the blood.
Neuroxoxic venom attacks the nervous system and causes death as a result of heart failure or suffocation, though the bite may not be painful. Cobras and coral snakes fall under this category.
Venom may function as hemotoxin, neurotoxin or a combination of both. It is made up of 20 different enzymes but species usually have 6-12 of them.
The production of venom takes much energy. That is why snakes try to keep their venom supply and use only the amount of venom that is necessary for a particular purpose. If their aim is to kill a big prey, they will not hesitate to inject large quantity of toxins; for a small prey smaller quantity of venom is needed. If a snake is startled and bites in defense, then often the bite is “dry”, i.e. contains no venom. -
ANIMAL DANGERS - SNAKES
Snakes do not usually attack humans unless they are disturbed or threatened. They will first warn the human by baring their fangs, making hissing noises and getting into a classic S-shape position. A bite from a non-venomous snake looks like a row of teeth bites while the bite from a venomous snake looks like double fang marks. Snakebites will be painful, swollen and numb within 15 minutes. Snake venom may also cause symptoms of muscle aches, blurred vision, drowsiness and spasm of the jaw. Many snakes that bite do not usually inject their venom ("dry bites" ) as they prefer to use it for hunting. Sometimes the snake's tooth may dislodge inside the wound.
There are several species of snakes in Singapore. The python and boa constrictor kills its prey by constriction and are not venomous. However, they will bite if provoked. The viper and king cobra are venomous snakes.
Snake identification
Garden snake
Most garden snakes have pale yellow or orange strip down the spine and a paler stripe low on each side. Some are unstriped or have stripes only on the sides. They may have a spotted or checkered pattern.
Green snake
This is a snake which is commonly seen. It is bright green in colour on top, and whitish below. It has a long tapering tail and can grow up to about 26 inches in length.
Corn snake
A tan to reddish-brown snake with darker reddish-brown patches trimmed with black. It may grow up to 1.5 metres long.
Python
Pythons are large and muscular, and kill their prey by squeezing, or constricting, until it suffocates. Pythons range from 1 to 10 metres in length and weigh up to 140kg.
Boa Constrictor
Boa Constrictors have sharp teeth. They range from 3 to 4 metres in length and weigh up to 130kg.
Banded Krait
Banded kraits are deadly snakes marked with alternate black and pale yellow cross bands throughout the entire length of the body. They are usually found in costal regions such as mangrove forests and can grow up to 2 metres in length.
Viper
Vipers have a triangular head covered with scales and have a pair of long, hollow fangs in the front of the upper jaw. Vipers rest high in the trees during the daytime and are well camouflaged. They tend to be nocturnal.
King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest poisonous snake. Its venom is so potent that elephants can die within 3 hours of a bite. King cobras have a small and round head with large scales edged in black. It is thin and yellow-olive or brown in colour. They can grow up to 6 metres in length. King cobras are usually found in rainforests and swamps.
Coral snakes
Coral snakes are brightly-coloured snakes. They often have bands or rings of red, black and yellow or white along their bodies. They are slender and tend to be nocturnal.
Sea snake
Sea snakes have specialized flattened tails for swimming. Sea snakes have no gills and must rise to the surface of the water for air, but they can remain underwater for several hours at a time. They can grow up to 2.7 metres in length.
First aid for snake bites
Stay calm. Not all snakes are poisonous.
Lay the victim flat.
Immobilise the bitten limb, using a splint if possible and position it below the level of the heart.
Wash the bite site with soap and water.
If there is eye irritation, rinse the eye under gently running cool water for at least 15 minutes. Prevent run-off water from entering the unaffected eye.
Do not cut and suck out the venom as it can lead to a bacteria infection.
Do not apply a tourniquet or ice on the wound as this will reduce blood flow to the affected area.
Try to get a description of the snake. This will help the doctor to identify the snake and the correct treatment. Do not try to catch the snake.
- taken from Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore) -
ANIMAL DANGERS - WASPS & BEES
Wasps and bees have stingers that deliver venom and cause pain when injected into the skin. Honeybees sting once and leave a stinger in the wound while wasps and hornets can sting many times. Most people who are stung by an insect will have redness, itching, swelling, and some pain around the sting site.
Some people are allergic to insect stings. They may experience rashes, itch, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, puffiness of the eyes, lips, tongue and throat, and difficulty in breathing. Symptoms can begin immediately after the sting or up to 30 minutes later and might last for hours. The patient can die of shock if this response is not reversed within a short time. Non-allergic victims who receive multiple stings can also develop serious complications.
First aid for wasps and bees stings
Scrape out the stinger with a stiff object like a credit card. Do not touch the stinger or pull it out yourself as this would inject more venom into the wound.
Remove any rings and watches before any swelling occurs.
Wash the sting site with soap and water.
Wrap a few ice cubes in a towel and apply on the area for 10-15 minutes to stop the pain and swelling. To prevent frostbite, do not apply ice directly on the sting area.
- taken from the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore) -
ANIMAL DANGERS - SEA CREATURES
Jellyfish
Jellyfish stings occur when people brush against it in the water or step on those washed ashore. Jellyfish washed ashore can sting for weeks. Detached tentacles can also release venom.
The Portuguese Man-of-War is well known for its painful and powerful sting. The stings can cause fever, shock as well as heart and lung problems.
Sea wasps (Box Jellyfish) have tentacles containing thousands of stinging cells. Stings usually occur when people bump into them. The tentacles become sticky and adhere tightly to the skin. When the cells come into contact with human skin, they release their venom and cause severe pain.
Sea urchinsSea urchins are found in tropical and subtropical marine regions. The spines of the sea urchins are used to deliver their venom. The sting can cause severe burning pain, swelling, bleeding, itch, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and difficulty breathing. The symptoms may develop immediately and may last up to 6 hours. Deep puncture wounds may be seen after a sting.
Stingrays
Stingrays are often found buried and feeding in shallow water. Stingrays are not aggressive by nature. People are usually stung when they step on the stingray. The sting causes profuse bleeding, swelling and severe pain that can last for months. Other symptoms that may develop are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, muscle cramps, and fits.
Blue-ringed Octopus
The world's most dangerous octopus - the blue rings are visible only when it's about to attack (Image from didyouknow.cd)
This is a very small octopus found in shallow tropical water and in tide pools. It is normally yellowish-brown but changes its rings to a bright blue when disturbed. The sting is usually painless but there may be symptoms of numbness, which may lead to paralysis and respiratory failure.
Lionfish
(Image from fishnfriends.com)
Lionfish are brightly coloured fish and are usually found in coral reefs. They are also kept as pets in home aquariums. Lionfish have venomous fin spines that can produce painful puncture wounds. Their stings can also cause nausea, breathing difficulties, paralysis, fits and collapse.
ScorpionfishScorpionfish live in shallow water. The skin resembles algae or sponges and is often mottled, with patches of red or blue. This makes them difficult to tell them apart from rocks and seaweed. Scorpionfish have spines with venomous glands. Their stings can cause severe pain.
StonefishStonefish may be round from exposed sand and mud. It looks exactly like encrusted rock and feeds on small fish and shrimps. It has a row of 13 venomous spines along its back. People are usually stung when they step on or catch a stonefish. The sting can cause severe pain, swelling, muscle weakness, numbness and shock.
Catfish
Eeltail catfish
Stings occur when these slimy-skinned fish are handled. The sting can cause pain and swelling.
Cone shells
(Image from A Guide to Seashore Life published by Singapore Science Centre & BP)
Cone shells are marine snails found in reefs. They produce venom that may lead to symptoms of pain, swelling and numbness. Weakness, lack of coordination, nausea, itch and respiratory distress may also result.
Sea cucumbers
See-through sea cucumber 
Sandfish
Sea cucumbers have an elongated body. Tentacles encircle the mouth. They live in temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Contact with sea cucumbers can result in a rash and severe eye irritation. Blindness may occur if brought into contact with the eyes.
First aid for sea creatures bites and stings
* Stay calm.
* Keep the stung or bitten area still.
* Wash the area with vinegar or seawater. Do not use fresh water as it may increase pain.
* If there is eye irritation, rinse the eye under gently running cool water for at least 15 minutes. Prevent run-off water from entering the unaffected eye.
* For jellyfish, remove tentacles from the skin with sand, clothing or a towel.
* For stingrays, remove any parts of an embedded sting if possible.
* For sea urchins, gently pull out any protruding spines. Do not crush the spines.
* Soak the affected area into hot (not scalding) water for 30-90 minutes to ease pain. If pain returns later, try the heat soaks again.
* Do not apply a tourniquet or ice on the wound as this may cut blood flow to the affected area.
* Do not cut and suck out the venom as it can lead to a bacteria infection.
Credits & copyrights: All text taken from the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore); all images taken from Wildsingapore.com unless otherwise stated. -
DANGERS IN THE HOME & WORKPLACE
Mercury Thermometers
Thermometers with a silver line contain elemental mercury. Silver-coloured liquid elemental mercury may be released when the thermometers are broken. Fortunately, elemental mercury from a thermometer is not well absorbed from the stomach and will pass into the stools if swallowed. Elemental mercury is also not well absorbed from the skin.
Mercury spills on carpets or cracked surfaces can be dangerous as the liquid mercury is slowly converted to a poisonous vapour over days to weeks. A large, one-time inhalation exposure may result in chills, metallic taste, headache, weakness, shortness of breath and cough. Some people may get an allergic rash to mercury.
First Aid
Wash the exposed area well with soap and water.
Increase ventilation in the room with outside air and close the room off from the rest of the house.
How do I clean up a mercury spill?
- Wear gloves when cleaning a mercury spill.
- Remove gold jewellery before cleaning the spill, as the mercury can stain it.
- Gather up mercury into a leak proof container using something stiff like a credit card. An eyedropper or scotch-tape may also be used.
- Throw the container into the rubbish bin.
- Throw away items that have been exposed to mercury.
- Wash hands well with soap and water after cleaning.
Do not
- vacuum or sweep mercury as this may break up the mercury into smaller droplets and can contaminate the room.
- use household chemicals to clean the spill. Some chemicals will react with mercury and release a toxic gas.
- pour mercury down the sink as it may stay in the plumbing.
- wash clothes contaminated with mercury in the washing machine as it may get contaminated with mercury.
Information provided by the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore) -
Originally posted by Wanda:
i tink the most dangerous object at the workplace is the boss
[b]DANGERS IN THE HOME & WORKPLACE
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And back-stabbers in the office.Originally posted by poon cho tang:i tink the most dangerous object at the workplace is the boss
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dats where the poisons come inOriginally posted by Wanda:And back-stabbers in the office. -
Coca
Erythroxylon coca
Believe it or not, in the 16th century, there really was a “Land of the drug addicts”, located in South America. At that time, the Incas undertook a great expansion and conquered many neighboring native tribes.
The population was persuaded to work very hard, everybody regardless of gender or age worked all day to receive only a third of the production but there were no rebellions and no discontent. The unconditional obedience of the masses was due to chewing the leaves of coca, which made people the perfect workers – they hardly ate or slept but felt satisfied, even happy. However, the narcotic also led to premature aging and a physical and mental breakdown. Then came an agonizing death.
The plant which caused, and unfortunately still causes, that degradation of personality is a two- to three-meter-high evergreen bush from the wet tropical regions of South America, nowadays also cultivated in subtropical zones and South Asia. It has small shiny spear-shaped leaves and red cherry-fruit. Until 1860, when the alkaloid cocaine was first extracted from the leaves of the plant, people did not know why coca had such a disastrous effect. The substance obtained was a white scentless powder, which particularly affects the sensibility of skin and the sensory organs. This property made it valuable for surgery and two decades later it was already in use.
Cocaine also stimulates the central nervous system. Therefore, one loses oneÂ’s feelings of fatigue and hunger, the inferiority complex and bad mood; however, oneÂ’s health and will deteriorate. The poisoning is very pleasant at first owing to a momentary euphoria and incapability of perceiving the environment as it is. Soon after that, weakness occurs, the pulse accelerates and becomes irregular. Affected people may have seizures accompanied by breathing- and cardiac disruptions, which may lead to a preventable fatal end.
There are many derivatives of cocaine such as novocaine and dicaine. Novocaine injections are generally used in a 1-10% saline solution for dental and spinal anesthesia. Unlike cocaine, procaine is non-addictive, yet toxic. Probably, the most toxic one of all derivatives is crack. It has wide application everywhere else but in medicine.
The extent of mental degradation caused by this insidious poison is much greater than that caused by many others. Its use leads to paranoia, audial hallucinations, extreme aggression and even inclination to suicide.
The number of the cocaine- and crack-addicts is getting larger and larger; pregnant women take drugs and bear babies with monstrous abnormalities. Cocaine has been popular since the 16th century and is still a major threat to our generation.
Copyright: 2000 Team C007974, Thinkquest -
*Do a double take*Originally posted by poon cho tang:dats where the poisons come in
You mean 'come in'? Not 'come from' ah?
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Solanum tuberosum
Once upon a time, someone brought to Europe a plant which had been cultivated by South American Indians for centuries before the European expansion to the West.
It was about 60-80 cm high; had white, pink or violet blossoms; and generated in its subterranean part up to 50-60 tubers whose weight varied from 2-3 g to 2-3 kg. The one who brought it surely didnÂ’t have the slightest idea of its forthcoming expansion across fields in Europe and, subsequently, in the whole world.
This plant was the potato, which contains the poisonous glycoalkaloid solanine in all its parts but mostly in the blossoms and in the fruit. Its content is extremely high when tubers are unripe or green as a result of incorrect storrage but they cannot cause poisoning because solanin decomposes when boiled.
Only the fruit, blossoms, seeds, sprouts, and sun-greened tubers may be dangerous.
They can bring about stomachache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, psychic depression, breathing disruptions, irregular pulse and even coma in the case of high dose intake and lack of therapy. -
Tobacco
Nicotiana tobacum
This is probably the most popular poison in the world. Who would have thought?
Most people think that the American Indians are the ones to blame, but it was Herodotus, in fact, to mention inhaling the smoke of some smoldering grass. Nicotine–the most important alkaloid of the plant–has been found in the mummy of the Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II. Moreover, devices related to smoking have been discovered in those ancient tombs.
However, the public opinion is that tobacco was imported to Europe in 1558 due to Francesco Fernandez, the doctor of Philippe II, King of Portugal at that time. At first, it grew in palaces because of its aesthetic value but very soon, almost everyone gained access to the cultivated poison, which made many rulers and highly placed officials take preventive measures against already widespread smoking.
Pope Urban VII excommunicated smokers.
Louis XIII prohibited the use of tobacco.
Smokers in Spain were sentenced to prison and hard labor for life by the church court.
Jacob I, the king of Britain prohibited smoking and banished the smokers from London.
Michael Romanov, king of Russia, punished smokers in the following manner: offenders caught for the first time were given 60 lashes on their feet; the second time the smoker had his nose or ears cut off and was exiled to Siberia.
Murad IV, a sultan of Turkey, ordered smokers to have their hands cut off.
Tobacco traders in Persia were burnt together with their wares.
In India, the nose or the upper lip of smokers was cut.
Apparently, these measures have been both insufficient and unsuccessful.
Tobacco itself is an annual, about 2 m high, and has large leaves and pink blossoms. In 1828, the French pharmacists Pierre-Joseph Pelletier and Joseph-Bienaim Caventou extracted the poison, the alkaloid nicotine, which was a colorless oily liquid with a sharp hot taste. About 50 mg of it would be sufficient to kill a non-smoker. Researches show that the temperature of the burning end of a cigarette is 830-880 degrees C, which enriches the smoke with more than 1500 ingredients! They were divided into different groups according to their toxic effects:
1. Carbon monoxide–it decreases the oxygen saturation of blood.
2. Irritating substances–they cause cough and wheezing.
3. Dangerous carcinogenic substances.
What then makes people light the next cigarette? At first, nicotine stimulates the brain but shortly, it paralyzes nerve impulses and, as a result, the smoker craves for another cigarette. That is how smoking becomes a habit. The American writer Mark Twain said it was easy to give up smoking and that he had done it a hundred thousand times himself.
Many plants are poisonous and tobacco happens to be one of them. People smoke it because they easily get addicted to the smoke, gradually killing themselves. Is it the plant to blame?
Copyright: 2000 Team C007974, Thinkquest -
Slow Loris
Nycticebus coucang
Slow lorises may not be swift, but they are accomplished climbers and are able to hang from branches by their feet alone.
Physical Description: Slow lorises vary in colour from grey to white depending on their range. They are plumper and shorter-limbed than slender lorises. They have strong grasping hands and feet, with opposable thumbs. Slow lorises have dark rings around their eyes and a dark stripe running along the back.
Distribution: They range across southeast Asia.
Habitat: They inhabit tropical evergreen rain forests.
This shy primate mixes its own toxic cocktail from two ingredients: its saliva and the secretions from a gland in its inner elbow. The venom causes extreme pain if injected by a bite, but the mere smell of the compound repels most predators. The female also uses this combination as a "toxic babysitter," covering her young with the venom while she leaves to search for food.
Little is known about slow loris venom or its effects. -
eat moderatelyOriginally posted by Wanda:
Common Name: Butterfly Pea
Scientific Name: Clitoria ternatea
Feature: The flowers are used as a food colouring sometimes. The leaves are pinnate compound and its fruits are in the form of slightly inflated pods.
Poisonous parts: Seeds and roots
Effects: Causes diarrhea when eaten in excess -
You eat them?Originally posted by NT2:eat moderately -
Sea Anemone
Heteractis magnifica
The sea anemone’s tentacles are covered with thousands of nematocysts — tiny, venomous harpoons. Venom helps the anemone catch prey and keep predators away.
Protected by a thick coat of mucus, the clownfish lives unharmed among the anemoneÂ’s venomous tentacles. The anemone provides a safe home for the clownfish. This aggressive and territorial fish protects the anemone, "shooing away" potential predators like a watchdog.
Some species of anemone can give humans a painful sting. -
thot this is used in some kind of food?Originally posted by Wanda:
Common Name: Butterfly Pea
Scientific Name: Clitoria ternatea
Feature: The flowers are used as a food colouring sometimes. The leaves are pinnate compound and its fruits are in the form of slightly inflated pods.
Poisonous parts: Seeds and roots
Effects: Causes diarrhea when eaten in excess