The strychnine tree is native to Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. There is no reason it cannot grow in New Orleans, and in fact, it used to be. As a sub-tropical city located in the middle of a swamp, New Orleans warm, humid climate is particularly suited to cultivation of the strychnine tree.
The Latin namer the strychnine tree, also known as the hurry-gurdy tree, because of the clonic/tonic convulsions that its seeds cause, is strychnos nux-vomica. The tree produces bitter fruit. Its seeds, which are shaped like buttons, are full of poison. Only hornbill macaws and monkeys eat the fruit of the strychnine tree. The macaws, not the macaques, eat the the seeds.
A strychnine tree is not a yum-yum tree.
The seeds are ground to extract the strychnine, which is a poison that causes convulsions and eventual asphyxiation. It is horrible to watch. The convulsions cause exophthalmos, which means it makes the eyes protrude. That part makes it extra dramatic.
The convulsions caused by strychnine can be mistaken for death throes when the victim is being bitten in the throat.
Animal fighting in bloodsport pits all over the world is often suspected of cheating. When gambling money is involved, everybody wants to put in a fix. There are few civilized countries where people are allowed to pay good, hard-earned money to bet on bloodsport.
Strychnine trees still grow in the Lower Ninth Ward. They are the remnants of those grown on the nux-vomica plantation that was located on Bayou Bienville.
Nux-Vomica was the brand name of packets of powdered strychnine that were sold in the French Market back in the day. The brand has gone the way of Dr. Nut soda.
Not every product can be Barq’s.
Now, I am going to continue a separate ongoing narrative for paid subscribers…