Day 4: Making Zombies- the Haitian Way!

DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME! Based on info from Wade Davis as found on his 1983 trip to Port au Prince, Haiti and described in his book The Serpent and the Rainbow which was adapted to film in 1988.

Osteopilus dominiensis- Tree frog secretes skin irritant

Datura Stramonium (Tropane Alkaloids)
Causes weak pulse, hallucinations, & deliruim

Puffer fish Toxin- Tetrodotoxin (neurotoxin) causes
sensations of floating, speech impairment, paralysis,
respiratory arrest, death

Charred Human Remains- no actual use except to make the
zombie creation process really, really creepy!

In theory, this powder is applied to the skin. Irritants, such as the liquid produced by the tree frog, the prickly edges of plants, or even glass, were used to open the skin to allow for easier transmission of the toxins. I would like to note, that the CDC only provided the listed side effects of Tetrodotoxin in regards to ingestion- not as a topical preparation, so I am unsure of how many of the listed affects would apply in this case. However, these items (as well as some others that may have been used) could produce a zombie-like state- going so far as to make the "zombie" appear dead upon cursory medical examination. Burial would be tricky and could definitely lead to oxygen deprivation and possible brain damage or death. 

For more information on the potion discovered by Davis, its properties and its holes, read this article!

http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/strange-creatures/zombie1.htm