Spirobolida and Polydesmida and two entire tarantulas, crabe 

 araignee (Theraphosidae) were mixed with four plant products: 

 30 seeds of tcha-tcha {A/hizzia Lebheck), 40 seeds of consigne 

 (Trichilia hirta L.), and four handfuls of dried leaves each of 

 ponime cajou (Anacardium occidentale L.) and bresillet {Conio- 

 cladia glabra Spreng.), both species of the Anacardiaceae capable 

 of causing severe dermititis. These ingredients were ground 

 together in the mortar, placed in ajar and buried. After two days, 

 two plants which were not available for collection, known locally 

 as tremblador and desmembre, were added to form the second 

 degree. Five days later, the third degree was marked by the 

 addition of another set of plants capable of causing surface irrita- 

 tions. Two were members of the Urticaceae, manian guepes 

 {Urera baccifera (L.) Gaud.) and nmshasha {Dalechampia scan- 

 dens L.). The others were calmador, Dieffenbachia Sequine 

 (Jacq.) Schott., the common dumbcane which contains calcium 

 oxalate crystals in its tissues, and bois pine {Zanihoxy/um marti- 

 nicense (Lam.) DC.) which is covered with sharp spines. Finally, 

 the mad/away added approximately three grams of the seeds of 

 the concombre zombi, the zombi's cucumber {Datura Stramo- 

 nium L.) to the preparation. 



The elaboration of the animal constituents was rather similar 

 to the process documented at Saint Marc. The bango toad {Bufo 

 marinus) was placed in a small box with a common non- 

 venomous snake. It was then killed and sun-dried with the three 

 species of puffer fish, the bilan (probably Diodon holacanthus), 

 ih^ fou-fou (Diodon hystrix) and the crapaud de mer {Spho- 

 eroides testudineus). As at Saint Marc, these ingredients were 

 placed on hot coals and broiled to an oily consistency. A novel 

 additive at Gonaives was the crapaud blanc (Osteopilus domini- 

 censis Tschudi), a fresh specimen of which was placed directly on 

 the hot coals along with several human bone fragments. The skin 

 of this tree frog is covered by irritating glandular secretions (Lynn 

 1958) and a related species Osteopilus septentrionalis Dumeril & 

 Bibron has been reported in Cuba to cause temporary blindness 

 (Williams pers. comm.). At the third degree, the animal and plant 

 products were combined, ground in the mortar and sifted to 

 produce the final powder. 



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