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[Poisoning with toxic plants in Curacao in 1766]
A M Rutten1, L W Statius van Eps
1Vrije Universiteit, vakgroep Metamedica/sectie Geschiedenis der geneeskunde, Amsterdam.
Abstract:
In the spring of 1766 a black supervisor in Curaçao was the victim of attempted poisoning by a black practitioner or curador, engaged by two persons caught stealing by the supervisor. Data on the case were preserved in a letter from the Curaçao director to the managers of the West-Indian Company in Amsterdam. In retrospect, the symptoms of the intoxication indicate that a similar mixture of toxic plants was used as described in 890 A.D. by the Arabic medical writer Wahshiya in his 'Book of Poisons': Calotropis procera and Pithecellobium unguis cati.
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