Pertinax

Thanks for the efforts you are making.

Informative as always Pertinax Do not , of course, allow valuable Slaves to consume the leaves!

Chewing the pulped poppy skins with residual latex (the tears FG mentions) was certainly used to relieve toothache or to mitigate pain during surgery, one might acquire a liking for such a sensation perhaps ? Dont forget that inhalation is a particularly effective method both for poisoning and narcotising . Arsenic, atropine, mercury, methanol ,opium and turpentine could all be readily inhaled to the woe or delight of the subject.

I believe its the Thiamin in the yeast that is the key.On the other hand it also proves what nice clean blood you have (Violentillas attentions might be a bit suspect )

"What the hell is this ? " "Its a Sicilian message...it means.."

this entry refers , but in Europe the Panther is uncommon-ish (though a learned physician would be able to search it out under deciduous woodland cover). http://www.erowid.org/plants/amanitas/aman...antherina.shtml

You're one of the few people to have 'got' that Lucius Brassus is a reference to Luca Brasi, despite all my 'Godfather' references... Thanks for noticing! Flavia "You care for da scotch? pre-war?" " I no bibbo".

A most useful cardiac glycoside ...do you wish to slow someones heart? http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=829 http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...=si&img=646 quite deadly..in the wrong hands. Very beautiful, I prefer the flesh coloured variant to the white or purple, but the latter is the easiest to grow.Toxicity level 5, all parts toxic , cooking does not destroy the glycoside. Children have died from merely sucking the leaves.So only allow those children you really dislike to eat the plant. Oannes Pertinaxus

and Ill be visiting as well, bio and chemy are just up my street.

As many of you will know I maintain a morbid interest in toxic items from ethnobotany , and likewise the animal kingdom where its creatures were known and "utilised" in a known (or fabled ) historical context...Cleopatra's asp as our most prominent , recent televised suicide in Rome 2. I intend to revise my list of plant poisons (previous blogs) and add some spiteful animals (and fish). However a scale of toxicity is needful if we are to determine the relative efficacy of our assassination tools, how do we gauge the Claudian mushrooms versus Socratic Hemlock? Quite neatly as it transpires by using a dosage per kg bodyweight index, considering of course that a small woman has a small liver and might be an easy "client" to deal with. here we are: 6. supertoxic ...less than 5mg per Kg ...that is a mere taste (six or seven drops) 5. extremely toxic...5-50 mg per Kg...still not much, maybe a teaspoon for a smallish "client". 4. very toxic...50-500mg per Kg..between a teaspoon and an ounce , not much really. 3. moderately toxic...0.5-5 gm per Kg...maybe one ounce up to a pint (so not as disguisable). below this levels 1 and 2 are sub fatal , but nasty.A sick person might succumb, but not a healthy one given a reasonably timely antidote. To give some understandable benchmarks :Formaldehyde is a level 6 , particularly deadly when inhaled , but it has a vile smell( though widely used in cosmetics as a stabiliser) . Hemlock , Aconite and Oleander are all sixes as is liquid nicotine.Mandrake is a 4. And before you take a swim , some Octopii can bite you to the tune of level 4.... and heres a link to some nice sweeties.. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...si&img=1808 Thats just to set the scene for some toxicological history.

"You Mushrooms" ...now that I shall use.

I finished FG's "Pirates" and had thought that the sleeping draught given to the villains was going to be some Opium derivative or possibly Hemp , but I see that FG went for dessicated psycho-active mushroom (the pirates hallucinated in a number of highly creative ways and some perished rather unpleasantly as a result).FG did I overlook a specific name ( Pantherina would be my guess) or was the suggested action due to general mushroom ability to transmit endophytes? http://bugs.bio.usyd.edu.au/Mycology/Plant...inGeneral.shtml I now look forward to some rollicking fun with poison in Surrentum. ps: I forgot, Lucius Brassus ha ha very good ...as in " Luca , im Bruno Tattaglia"

It may well be looking that way, P. I would certainly prefer to change the date rather than have to change the itinerary, as we had rather a nice one planned. Hopefully the Divine Augustus will be on the Forum soon, for either PM or posting purposes. Expeditious replies, please, guys. (NN, GPM and Calders) Why do people want to run when they can get slaves to carry them?

Do we go radical and shift date? Please speak up.

Because I am as stubborn as Flavia Gemina's mule.

We must be careful that AC is not cut off from the main body of troops.

If we move Hexhamwards (no jokes GO) the rail connection is pretty straightforward. Collection and delivery by car would be simple.

Hmm , what exactly constitutes a "violent lifestyle"?

Thank goodness for that , I thought id never get all that cash you owe me. Do you want me to fly over and apply leeches, or "cut you for the stone"?Also if your "seat " is troublesome I can borrow this kit:... http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...si&img=1789 newsflash: a recent photo of Gaius brought in from combat. http://www.unrv.com/forum/index.php?automo...si&img=1807

Actually, I did an informal review of FG's Roman Mysteries series in back in April. As I've read all the books in the series, I was thinking of expanding on that initial introduction to the series that I'd posted, with emphasis on the educational aspects of her books. She carefully uses primary source material in setting the scenes for each of her novels. At my public library, in fact, we're got a "Roman Mysteries" booktalk for children scheduled for later this summer. Pertinax, we have all ages at my library reading FG's books, both young readers and adults (although our scheduled booktalk will be geared for children this summer). I agree with you -- I would very much like to be 7 or 8 again, too, and discovering this series! But since I steadfastly refused to grow up I think I'm enjoying them just as much! -- Nephele Im so sorry I overlooked your review, (and I agree very much with your thoughts), this means Im off the hook and can concentrate on the poisons in "Sirens" now.

Given the Roman obsession with bathing and depilation (as Caldrail says) , alongside the fashion for purchasing the hair of barbarians (for women) one feels that hair care would hardly be neglected in a society that valued conspicuous consumption.

I suspect that I will be obliged to review FG's books (looks around nervously )...so far I must say that they would be very useful sparking an interest in intelligent children. in the Roman world. Im not sure of the age range they are aimed at , but I would have very much liked to be 7 or 8 again and been passed a copy of "Pirates".I would be in the back garden with a wooden sword chopping away at barbarians.

"Sirens of Surrentum" by our own Flavia Gemina (looking for more tips on toxicology I might have overlooked), and thanks to FG for the gift. A re-read of Jashemski's "Pompeiian Herbal" nicely idiosyncratic ..this because I was checking over plant references to FG's 'Pirates of Pompeii" . "Guess what came to dinner" by Gittleman, another scary excursion into digestible parasites (wash your hands!). and ive been watching the "special edition" of Kurosawa's 'Ran" (King Lear in effect).

I see that we have a couple of new UK members so I am bumping this thread in case they have not noticed it as yet amongst the plethora of information!

Id like to add that oil of Cilantro is a very effective vermifuge (worm killer), so its inclusion in fish dishes is a nifty way of sidestepping parasite infestation if the dish is undercooked.Tamarind is very acidic , and for those unfamiliar with it I caution modest use if experimenting.