SC - Re: Help - Dangerous Herbs

[ChannonM at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/25/00 3:26:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
owner-sca-cooks at ansteorra.org writes:

> seumas at mind.net>
>  Subject: Re: SC - Help - Dangerous Herbs
>  
>  IIRC, I think saffron was used as an abortificant by nature of it brings
>  on menses. More of an induced miscarriage. That may also have been at
>  higher doses than normal consumption, as 10-12 gm of saffron is
>  supposedly fatal to humans (Lust, John. _Herb Book_. 1974)  My source
>  for it's use as an abortificant is long lost in a university library
>  somewhere during past research on something else.
>  
>  Seumas

Specifically regarding saffron......
When buying some in quantity from a herbal shop, the shop keeper enquired 
what I was going to do with it and in what quantity. He wanted to know 
because saffron contains arsenic and in large doses is deadly. He even showed 
me a vial he had with a liquid that helped to extract the arsenic (can't 
remember what it was, either alcohol based or something similar) and the 
arsenic was floating on top, a white substance. He was very serious.

Now, what he was going to do with the arsenic I know.................
I imagine arsenic can be used for healthful reasons in the right 
circumstances.

Hauviette