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Florida's manchineel tree (with the tiny apples) is the OG wood you don't burn because it blinds you.
by riazrizvi 16d ago
Florida's manchineel tree (with the tiny apples) is the OG wood you don't burn because it blinds you.
- blacksmith_tb 16d agoOr oleander [1], which people occasionally poison themselves with by burning its wood. 1: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/nerium-oleander#:~:text=inhalation%20of%20smoke https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbio...
- riazrizvi 16d agoFascinating. So it seems to have been used for parasitic and fungal skin treatments, angina, and to induce miscarriage. With no doubt a very narrow band of error.
- dmurray 16d agoBut you also don't touch it, eat it, or stand under it when it rains, so the opportunity to burn it by mistake is limited.
- wpollock 16d agoYou remind me of Episode 2 of the Apothecary Diaries: several Chinese troops were poisoned after eating local food. The food was fine, the wood used for fire and eating utensils was the source. I wonder if something like that ever actually happened?
- winocm 16d agoThat is such a good show.
- onlypassingthru 15d agoI would think any poisonous campfire would be quickly noticeable (who the hell likes to breathe campfire smoke?) and you would have to actually ingest the toxin like the guys who drank poisoned coffee. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-a-deadly-camping-trip-revealed-an-arms-race-between-snakes-and-newts https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-a-deadly-camping-t...