Zombie Powder

[Lupus]

I found the recipies for the zombie powder, but unfortunately they are in a book and if I posted the full recipies I believe I would be violating the copyright laws. Sorry.

I will, however, provide a list of ingredients for the recipies (though it may take awhile) and the title of the book.

One of the recipies only consists of the skins of the crapaud blanc-the White Toad (Osteopilus dominicensis)

Another recipie (much more elaborate) calls for 3 or 4 small pufferfish (only two are named,

The sea toad (Sphoeroides testudineus,

Sphoeroides splengeri) and

the fufu fish (Diodon hystrix, Diodon

holacanthus)). The recipie also has

a polychaete worm (Hermodice carunculata).

Bufo toad (Bufo marinus).

several lizards

(Ameiva chrysolaema) &

(Leiocephalus schreibersi)

local tarantulas

(Theraphosidae)

the herbs

(Albizia lebbeck)

itching pea (Mucuna pruriens)

final ingredient, the crushed and ground remains of a human cadaver (the fresher the better).

More to come. (There are quite a few recipes)

The name of the book is

"Passage of Darkness: the Ethnobiology of

the Haitian Zombie"

Author: Wade Davis

Publisher: The University of North Carolina

Press, Chapel Hill & London

ISBN #: 0-8078-1776-7

[Guest Clandestine]

I do believe the puffer fish is the only essential ingredient, for the tetradotoxin.

Clan

[Guest theobromus]

Remember these are skin-contact preparations, Clan.

Is the Mucuna not essential for its ability to inject the active chemicals into the underskin? Some of the other recipes gave other mechanical delivery systems and one that might cause blistering like poison-ivy.

Mucuna hairs also contain 5-hydroxytryptophan, I would assume they would contain serotonin as well as does the nettle. This would cut down the local blood supply, though whether this would aid or hinder absorption is a moot point. Perhaps the Bufo could be necessary for its cardioactivity.

Some tarantula hairs are very good at irritating the skin. One pet species (Chilean Rose?) has hairs that can't come out the way they went in. They can cause serious eye injuries.

The Albizia contains very high concentrations of tannins. These could stop bleeding at the wounds caused by the hairs so the actives are not washed out with the blood.

[M S Smith]

I had read this book many years ago and found the cultural factors that lie behind the zombie phenomena one of the most interesting aspects of the subject. Though zombification through the tetradotoxin preparations is facinating in itself it is much more interesting how the "zombie," being so ingrained into the cultural consciousness in Haiti, leads those who are "zombies" to in fact fulfill the role of the zombie they have learned since childhood. Of course the continued poisoning my their masters with Datura species does assist. Though zombies have "escaped" they continue to live apart from society (they usually are punished with zombification due to the breaking of a societal code) and a probably brain damaged to some degree either from the tetradotoxins effects on the body or else from the Datura alkaloids which have the ability to cause brain atrophy, a literal shrinking of the cerebral cortex (alcohol does this too).

There is so much more on this subject to discuss, and I certainly recommend the book. Wade Davis' The Rainbow and the Serpent is also similar and was in fact made into a movie of the same name.

Michael

[Lupus]

Recipes (contd'):

Another recipe, considered very potent,

consists only of dried and ground human

remains. Shows the power of Voodoo, (or

suggestion).

A recipe from the same person as before contains:

Centipedes (Spirobolida, Polydesmida),

Tarantulas (Theraphosidae),

Lizards including:

"miti verde" (Anolis Coelestinus),

"mabouya" (Epicrates striatus).

tree frogs (Osteopilus dominicencis):

The white toad and brown toad.

2 Puffer fish:

(Diodon holacanthus),

(Sphoeroides testudineus).

Another preparation:

The Marine Toad (Bufo marinus),

a snake (???),

20 g. ground centipedes,

2 whole tarantulas,

30 seeds Tcha-tcha (Albizia lebbeck),

40 seeds Consigne (Trichilia hirta),

4 handfulls dried leaves of:

Pomme Cajou (Anacardium occidentale),

Bresillet (Comocladia glabra).

Unknown amount of 2 unknown plants.

Unknown amounts of 4 other plants:

Maman guepes (Urera baccifera),

Mashasha (Dalechampia scandens),

Calmador (Dieffenbachia sequine),

Bwa Pine (Zanthoxylum martinicense).

More animals added at the end:

2 species tarantula,

a white frog (Osteopilus dominicencis),

marine toad (Bufo marinus),

and four species of puffer fish:

(Sphoeroides testudineus, S. splengeri,

Diodon holacanthus, D. hystrix)

After the zombie is dug up (After above poison) he is fed a paste of:

Sweet potato,

Cane syrup,

"Concombre zombi" (Datura stramonium).

That is the end of the poison recipes.

The book also has info on the antidote.