POISONS: 
THEIR EFFECTS AND DETECTION. 
PART I.—INTRODUCTORY. 
I.—The Old Poison-Lore. 
§ 1. It is significant that the root 44 tox ” of the modern word toxicology 
can be traced back to a very ancient word meaning “ bow ” or 44 arrow,” 
or, in its broadest sense, some 44 tool ” used for slaying : hence it is no 
far-fetched supposition that the first poison-knowledge was that of the 
septic poisons. Perchance the savage found that weapons soiled with 
the blood of former victims made wounds fatal ; from this observation 
the next step naturally would be that of experiment—the arrow or 
spear would be steeped in all manner of offensive pastes, and smeared 
with the vegetable juices of those plants which were deemed noxious ; 
and as the effects were mysterious, they would be ascribed to the 
supernatural powers, and covered with a veil of superstition. 
The history of the poison-lehre, like all history, begins in the region 
of the myths : there was a dark saga prevailing in Greece, that in the 
far north existed a land ruled by sorcerers—all children of the sun— 
and named Aeetes, Perses, Hecate, Medea, and Circe. Later on, the 
enchanted land was localised at Colchis, and Aeetes and Perses were 
said to be brothers. Hecate was the daughter of Perses ; she was 
married to Aeetes, and their daughters were Medea and Circe. Hecate 
was the discoverer of poisonous herbs, and learned in remedies both evil 
and good. Her knowledge passed to Medea, who narcotised the dragon, 
the guardian of the golden fleece, and incited Jason to great undertakings. 
In the expedition of the Argonauts, the poets loved to describe 
Hecate’s garden, with its lofty walls. Thrice-folding doors of ebony 
barred the entrance, which was guarded by terrible forms : only the 
initiated few, only they who bore the leavened rod of expiation, and 
the concealed conciliatory offering of the Medea, could enter into the 
sanctuary. Towering above all was the temple of the dread Hecate, 
whose priestesses offered to the gods ghastly sacrifices. 
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