Common but poisonous

last SG · 2006-06-27T15:19:50+00:00

mango is poisen too!!! not the fruit part… the sap i heard from teacher?

Wanda SG

You seem to know quite a lot. Feel free to share your knowledge here.
BTW, what's with this Merry Meet thing?? Razz

Wanda SG

Common Name: Butterfly Pea
Scientific Name: Clitoria ternatea
Feature: The flowers are used as a food colouring sometimes. The leaves are pinnate compound and its fruits are in the form of slightly inflated pods.
Poisonous parts: Seeds and roots
Effects: Causes diarrhea when eaten in excess

Wanda SG

Common Name: Yellow Creeping Daisy
Scientific Name: Wedelia trilobata

Feature: Commonly seen in gardens and roadsides due to its free-flowering characteristic; its flowers are yellow and grows singly. The leaves have sharp-toothed margin. The fruits are very small.

Poisonous parts: All plant parts
Effects: Toxic to mammals.

OCEANOS SG

Merry Meet Wanda,

Well its just a form of greeting, It was Meet, we should make Merry. "To Make Merry" is literally to be jovial; to indulge in hilarity; to feast with mirth While "Meet" is literally to join, or come in contact with.

I do know abit on various use of normal herbs, botanicals & roots with some rare ones. Will definitely share if i feel a need to.

Blessed Be,
Oceanos

Wanda SG

PLANT DANGERS

- taken from the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore) website

Singapore is a tropical country with a large variety of plants. In fact, the Bukit Timah nature reserve alone is home to more than 840 flowering plants. Plants beautify our homes, adding colour to our gardens. Many common house and garden plants are nontoxic or minimally toxic. However, some indoor and outdoor plants can be poisonous.

Eating a small amount of some plants may not cause any symptoms. However, eating certain plants can lead to irritation of the mouth, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. Touching the leaves or sap of some plants can cause rashes, swelling, and itching of the skin. A child who attempts to swallow a part of a plant may choke on it.

If a person has eaten a plant, is pricked by a plant, or develops skin irritation after touching a plant, STAY CALM, and give DPIC a call at 6423-9119. Call 995 Emergency Medical Services for an ambulance if the victim becomes unconscious and/or unresponsive, develops fits/convulsions, or stops breathing.

First Aid for plant exposures
For oral exposures, remove any remaining plant parts from the mouth.
If the victim has vomited a plant part, save the vomitus as it may allow identification of the plant.
Rinse the mouth with water.
Ice water, ice cream or other cold snacks may help reduce pain and swelling of the mouth.
For the patient who has been pricked by a plant, or who develops skin irritation after touching a plant, wash exposed areas with soap and water as soon as possible.
Remove thorns or prickles if possible. Fine cactus hair can be removed with scotch-tape.

Common Plants in our Environment

Chilli
The fruit of the chilli plants contains capsaicin, which can blister the skin. The vapours emitted can irritate our nose, eyes and throat.

Chiku
The sap in the leaves and young fruits can cause mild irritation and diarrhea when ingested.

Jackfruit/Nangka
The fruit is a laxative.

Lime/Lemon/Pomelo
The leaves and the fruits contain oils that can irritate our skin. Excessive consumption of these fruits can irritate our digestive system.

Periwinkle
All parts of the plant are poisonous. Vomiting and diarrhea may occur once it is ingested.

Pong Pong
The seeds of this plant are extremely toxic. Symptoms include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, giddiness, dizziness, decreased heart rate, oral pain and palpitations. Irritation of the eyes can also occur if contact is made with the sap of the tree. Dryness and tingling sensations can occur with ingestion of leaves.

Periwinkle (I think)

Unknown flower?

Mimosa (Touch-Me-Not)
Seeds of this plants contain chemicals that can cause acute kidney failure and blockage of the urine if taken in substantial amounts.

Elephant ears, Mother-in-Law's tongue, Philodendron
These are ornamental plants that contain calcium oxalate crystals. These crystals can cause pain and swelling if they come in contact with the skin or mouth.

Orleander, Dessert Rose, Lilly-of-the-Valley
These are ornamental plants that contain a medication called digoxin. Eating these plants can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, drowsiness and a rapid heart rate.

Oleander

(Picture courtesy of Cornell University)

Lily-of-the-Valley

(Picture courtesy of Cornell University)

Ito_^ SG

very informative.

i'll take a lookout.

flower tea anyone? Twisted Evil

OasisBlue SG

means can pluck those parts can cause diarrhoea to my enemies Twisted Evil

jkjk! Laughing

Wanda SG

Surprised

Notti, notti! Laughing

poon cho tang SG

ho ho ho! i will just spike them a tiny dose of everything every other day Twisted Evil Laughing

Wanda SG

Read the fine print please. Mr. Green

Disclaimer: This thread (hereby known as "Common but poisonous" ) was put up purely and solely for educational purpose, with no mischief intended whatsoever. The thread-starter shall not be liable for any mishap arising out of any mischief through any possible misuse of the information posted here by any prankster or any spurned lover who may hold any misguided intention whatsoever.

Laughing

poon cho tang SG

dun worry, this is no slim 11 case Laughing

Ravelin SG

Its very informative and interesting but I thought I’ve eaten some of the flowers shown before and I’m ok…well, maybe just lucky.

Wanda SG

Lucky, and you probably have a strong stomach! Wink

Wanda SG

SNAKES

There are 15 snake families and the venomous species, with only a few exceptions, belong to two of them: Elapidae and Viperidae.

Cobras, mambas, kraits, coral snakes and sea snakes are elapids. They are all venomous snakes and can be found in warmer parts of the world, except Europe and Madagascar.

The second family, Viperidae, includes vipers and pit vipers. These again are all venomous snakes that have long, hinged fangs. They live in most parts of the world, except in Australia and Madagascar. The difference between the true vipers and pitvipers is that the pitvipers have an additional sense organ located in front and just below the eyes. These are the so-called heat pits that allow pit vipers to hunt with remarkable accuracy, even in total darkness.

Venomous Snakes
There are three types of venomous snakes: opysthoglyph, proteroglyph and solenoglyph.

Opysthoglyphs are mostly harmless or mildly venomous snakes. Their fangs are enlarged rear teeth with a groove that venom flows down while they are swallowing their prey. However, there are snakes of this type that are known to have killed humans before, for example the Boomslang (Dispholidus typus). Another good example of this type is the Mangrove snake (D. dendrophila).

Proteroglyphs have small, fixed, non-movable front fangs. When they bite they hang on and chew their prey to envenomate it. Cobras (Naja), mambas (Dendroaspis), kraits (Bungarus), taipans (Oxyuranus), coral snakes (Micrurus) and sea snakes are good examples of this type. They are some of the deadliest snakes in the world.

Solenoglyphs have movable front fangs that fold back into the mouth until they are needed. These snakes are very dangerous for they can open their mouths almost 180 degrees with their fangs extended straight out. They can strike at any portion of the body and their attack is much unpredictable. Rattlesnakes (Crotalus), eyelash vipers (Bothriechis), gaboon vipers (Bitis), cottonmouths and copperheads (Agkistrodon) belong to this type.

Snake Venom
Snake venom is modified saliva that is primarily used for hunting (capturing and digesting the prey). Some venom is hematoxic (affecting the blood). Almost all American pit vipers have hematoxic venom. It destroys tissues and causes great pain, swelling and thinning or thickening of the blood.

Neuroxoxic venom attacks the nervous system and causes death as a result of heart failure or suffocation, though the bite may not be painful. Cobras and coral snakes fall under this category.

Venom may function as hemotoxin, neurotoxin or a combination of both. It is made up of 20 different enzymes but species usually have 6-12 of them.

The production of venom takes much energy. That is why snakes try to keep their venom supply and use only the amount of venom that is necessary for a particular purpose. If their aim is to kill a big prey, they will not hesitate to inject large quantity of toxins; for a small prey smaller quantity of venom is needed. If a snake is startled and bites in defense, then often the bite is dry, i.e. contains no venom.

Wanda SG

ANIMAL DANGERS - SNAKES

Snakes do not usually attack humans unless they are disturbed or threatened. They will first warn the human by baring their fangs, making hissing noises and getting into a classic S-shape position. A bite from a non-venomous snake looks like a row of teeth bites while the bite from a venomous snake looks like double fang marks. Snakebites will be painful, swollen and numb within 15 minutes. Snake venom may also cause symptoms of muscle aches, blurred vision, drowsiness and spasm of the jaw. Many snakes that bite do not usually inject their venom ("dry bites" ) as they prefer to use it for hunting. Sometimes the snake's tooth may dislodge inside the wound.

There are several species of snakes in Singapore. The python and boa constrictor kills its prey by constriction and are not venomous. However, they will bite if provoked. The viper and king cobra are venomous snakes.

Snake identification

Garden snake
Most garden snakes have pale yellow or orange strip down the spine and a paler stripe low on each side. Some are unstriped or have stripes only on the sides. They may have a spotted or checkered pattern.

Green snake
This is a snake which is commonly seen. It is bright green in colour on top, and whitish below. It has a long tapering tail and can grow up to about 26 inches in length.

Corn snake
A tan to reddish-brown snake with darker reddish-brown patches trimmed with black. It may grow up to 1.5 metres long.

Python
Pythons are large and muscular, and kill their prey by squeezing, or constricting, until it suffocates. Pythons range from 1 to 10 metres in length and weigh up to 140kg.

Boa Constrictor
Boa Constrictors have sharp teeth. They range from 3 to 4 metres in length and weigh up to 130kg.

Banded Krait
Banded kraits are deadly snakes marked with alternate black and pale yellow cross bands throughout the entire length of the body. They are usually found in costal regions such as mangrove forests and can grow up to 2 metres in length.

Viper
Vipers have a triangular head covered with scales and have a pair of long, hollow fangs in the front of the upper jaw. Vipers rest high in the trees during the daytime and are well camouflaged. They tend to be nocturnal.

King Cobra
The king cobra is the world's longest poisonous snake. Its venom is so potent that elephants can die within 3 hours of a bite. King cobras have a small and round head with large scales edged in black. It is thin and yellow-olive or brown in colour. They can grow up to 6 metres in length. King cobras are usually found in rainforests and swamps.

Coral snakes
Coral snakes are brightly-coloured snakes. They often have bands or rings of red, black and yellow or white along their bodies. They are slender and tend to be nocturnal.

Sea snake
Sea snakes have specialized flattened tails for swimming. Sea snakes have no gills and must rise to the surface of the water for air, but they can remain underwater for several hours at a time. They can grow up to 2.7 metres in length.

First aid for snake bites
Stay calm. Not all snakes are poisonous.
Lay the victim flat.
Immobilise the bitten limb, using a splint if possible and position it below the level of the heart.
Wash the bite site with soap and water.
If there is eye irritation, rinse the eye under gently running cool water for at least 15 minutes. Prevent run-off water from entering the unaffected eye.
Do not cut and suck out the venom as it can lead to a bacteria infection.
Do not apply a tourniquet or ice on the wound as this will reduce blood flow to the affected area.
Try to get a description of the snake. This will help the doctor to identify the snake and the correct treatment. Do not try to catch the snake.

- taken from Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore)

Wanda SG

ANIMAL DANGERS - WASPS & BEES

Wasps and bees have stingers that deliver venom and cause pain when injected into the skin. Honeybees sting once and leave a stinger in the wound while wasps and hornets can sting many times. Most people who are stung by an insect will have redness, itching, swelling, and some pain around the sting site.

Some people are allergic to insect stings. They may experience rashes, itch, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, puffiness of the eyes, lips, tongue and throat, and difficulty in breathing. Symptoms can begin immediately after the sting or up to 30 minutes later and might last for hours. The patient can die of shock if this response is not reversed within a short time. Non-allergic victims who receive multiple stings can also develop serious complications.

First aid for wasps and bees stings
Scrape out the stinger with a stiff object like a credit card. Do not touch the stinger or pull it out yourself as this would inject more venom into the wound.
Remove any rings and watches before any swelling occurs.
Wash the sting site with soap and water.
Wrap a few ice cubes in a towel and apply on the area for 10-15 minutes to stop the pain and swelling. To prevent frostbite, do not apply ice directly on the sting area.

- taken from the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore)

Wanda SG

ANIMAL DANGERS - SEA CREATURES

Jellyfish
Jellyfish stings occur when people brush against it in the water or step on those washed ashore. Jellyfish washed ashore can sting for weeks. Detached tentacles can also release venom.

The Portuguese Man-of-War is well known for its painful and powerful sting. The stings can cause fever, shock as well as heart and lung problems.

Sea wasps (Box Jellyfish) have tentacles containing thousands of stinging cells. Stings usually occur when people bump into them. The tentacles become sticky and adhere tightly to the skin. When the cells come into contact with human skin, they release their venom and cause severe pain.

Sea urchins
Sea urchins are found in tropical and subtropical marine regions. The spines of the sea urchins are used to deliver their venom. The sting can cause severe burning pain, swelling, bleeding, itch, nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness and difficulty breathing. The symptoms may develop immediately and may last up to 6 hours. Deep puncture wounds may be seen after a sting.

Stingrays
Stingrays are often found buried and feeding in shallow water. Stingrays are not aggressive by nature. People are usually stung when they step on the stingray. The sting causes profuse bleeding, swelling and severe pain that can last for months. Other symptoms that may develop are nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, sweating, muscle cramps, and fits.

Blue-ringed Octopus

The world's most dangerous octopus - the blue rings are visible only when it's about to attack (Image from didyouknow.cd)

This is a very small octopus found in shallow tropical water and in tide pools. It is normally yellowish-brown but changes its rings to a bright blue when disturbed. The sting is usually painless but there may be symptoms of numbness, which may lead to paralysis and respiratory failure.

Lionfish

(Image from fishnfriends.com)

Lionfish are brightly coloured fish and are usually found in coral reefs. They are also kept as pets in home aquariums. Lionfish have venomous fin spines that can produce painful puncture wounds. Their stings can also cause nausea, breathing difficulties, paralysis, fits and collapse.

Scorpionfish
Scorpionfish live in shallow water. The skin resembles algae or sponges and is often mottled, with patches of red or blue. This makes them difficult to tell them apart from rocks and seaweed. Scorpionfish have spines with venomous glands. Their stings can cause severe pain.

Stonefish
Stonefish may be round from exposed sand and mud. It looks exactly like encrusted rock and feeds on small fish and shrimps. It has a row of 13 venomous spines along its back. People are usually stung when they step on or catch a stonefish. The sting can cause severe pain, swelling, muscle weakness, numbness and shock.

Catfish
Eeltail catfish

Stings occur when these slimy-skinned fish are handled. The sting can cause pain and swelling.

Cone shells

(Image from A Guide to Seashore Life published by Singapore Science Centre & BP)

Cone shells are marine snails found in reefs. They produce venom that may lead to symptoms of pain, swelling and numbness. Weakness, lack of coordination, nausea, itch and respiratory distress may also result.

Sea cucumbers

See-through sea cucumber Sandfish

Sea cucumbers have an elongated body. Tentacles encircle the mouth. They live in temperate, subtropical and tropical waters. Contact with sea cucumbers can result in a rash and severe eye irritation. Blindness may occur if brought into contact with the eyes.

First aid for sea creatures bites and stings
* Stay calm.
* Keep the stung or bitten area still.
* Wash the area with vinegar or seawater. Do not use fresh water as it may increase pain.
* If there is eye irritation, rinse the eye under gently running cool water for at least 15 minutes. Prevent run-off water from entering the unaffected eye.
* For jellyfish, remove tentacles from the skin with sand, clothing or a towel.
* For stingrays, remove any parts of an embedded sting if possible.
* For sea urchins, gently pull out any protruding spines. Do not crush the spines.
* Soak the affected area into hot (not scalding) water for 30-90 minutes to ease pain. If pain returns later, try the heat soaks again.
* Do not apply a tourniquet or ice on the wound as this may cut blood flow to the affected area.
* Do not cut and suck out the venom as it can lead to a bacteria infection.

Credits & copyrights: All text taken from the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore); all images taken from Wildsingapore.com unless otherwise stated.

Wanda SG

DANGERS IN THE HOME & WORKPLACE

Mercury Thermometers
Thermometers with a silver line contain elemental mercury. Silver-coloured liquid elemental mercury may be released when the thermometers are broken. Fortunately, elemental mercury from a thermometer is not well absorbed from the stomach and will pass into the stools if swallowed. Elemental mercury is also not well absorbed from the skin.

Mercury spills on carpets or cracked surfaces can be dangerous as the liquid mercury is slowly converted to a poisonous vapour over days to weeks. A large, one-time inhalation exposure may result in chills, metallic taste, headache, weakness, shortness of breath and cough. Some people may get an allergic rash to mercury.

First Aid
Wash the exposed area well with soap and water.
Increase ventilation in the room with outside air and close the room off from the rest of the house.

How do I clean up a mercury spill?
- Wear gloves when cleaning a mercury spill.
- Remove gold jewellery before cleaning the spill, as the mercury can stain it.
- Gather up mercury into a leak proof container using something stiff like a credit card. An eyedropper or scotch-tape may also be used.
- Throw the container into the rubbish bin.
- Throw away items that have been exposed to mercury.
- Wash hands well with soap and water after cleaning.

Do not
- vacuum or sweep mercury as this may break up the mercury into smaller droplets and can contaminate the room.
- use household chemicals to clean the spill. Some chemicals will react with mercury and release a toxic gas.
- pour mercury down the sink as it may stay in the plumbing.
- wash clothes contaminated with mercury in the washing machine as it may get contaminated with mercury.

Information provided by the Drug & Poison Information Centre (Singapore)

poon cho tang SG

Originally posted by Wanda:
[b]DANGERS IN THE HOME & WORKPLACE

[/b]

i tink the most dangerous object at the workplace is the boss Laughing

Wanda SG

And back-stabbers in the office. Mad

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