Deadly Sea Snail Venom Take[s] away Pain (1,000 x's stronger than morphine; Non-addicting)

Times Online UK ^ | July 10, 2006 | Nigel Hawkes, Health Editor

[bert]

I thought this was going to be a Glory of the Seas thread.

It is the rarest of shells and especially of cones. It also has venom.

In 1966 there were 5 Known specimens, all in the Philippines. In one day, my wife visited collectors and saw three of them.

Alas I was at work and missed out.

[Pelham]

Shell collectors will sometimes toss everything into a burlap bag and carry the bag on their shoulder. Cone snails have a long, fleshy 'lance' that will poke right through a bag and into the unlucky collector.

I haven't seen live cones for sale at aquariums (yet), but I did see one shopkeeper selling a small blue-ringed octopus. Very poisonous. I told the shopkeeper he was nuts, someone was going to get killed by that thing and he was going to get sued, if not charged with something more serious.

[Pelham]

http://www.ottocat.com/gloryoftheseas.jpg

[Pelham]

It's neurotoxin. A minor exposure causes pain, swelling, and numbness. A serious dose causes paralysis, respiratory failure, and cardiac arrest.

[mysterio]

In that case, better charge $40 a pill for it.

But let's just prohibit it. That works oh so much better. And we need to sweep the sea floor to make sure nobody can find one illegally. And we should kick down doors to make sure no one has a tank of them somewhere.

[William Tell]

gaijin said: "...expect that all the people now frequenting medical marijuana establishments for legitimate chronic pain ..."

I'm sure if they do that the government will simply expand its War on Some Drugs to include it.

Do you support the inclusion of this drug in the War on Some Drugs? Or is there some medical or economic test that must be performed first?

[SE Mom]

...in case the mushrooms don't do the trick:)

[Squeako]

Head-On, Apply directly to the forehead
Head-On, Apply directly to the forehead
Head-On, Apply directly to the forehead

If I said, "Clap On!", what would you say?

[stlnative]

I guess you have not seen the hemorrhoid creme commercial yet which is also put out by the same company who makes Head On!

[WesternPacific]

Usually deadly.

[lastchance]

Oh I can't wait to see how DEA is gonna regulate this one.
I think it would be very amusing to see snail venom raids and accusations that people were Dr shopping to get higher dosages of snail venom.

[lastchance]

A strong desire to eat garlic and drink beer.

[ArrogantBustard]

If I said, "Clap On!", what would you say?

Go see your doctor. It's curable, most of the time. I hope you aren't allergic to penicillin

[GretchenM]

You're welcome.

I suspect those who guffaw on this thread haven't experienced chronic, debilitating pain.

[GretchenM]

Thanks for that info. I passed it on to a friend who has MS and a lot of pain from back injuries, etc.

[GretchenM]

Do I dare ask what the reference is re Head on?

[GretchenM]

It's always nice to know you dodged a bullet. Glad you're still with us.

[GretchenM]

I didn't see any info re heart rate; good question.

[GretchenM]

I have a dim recollection of a Hawaii Five-O episode where the killer used this snail or something like it to kill a couple of people. The needle from the snail was so thin that they missed it in the autopsy, etc.

I hardly ever watched that show but I also have a vague recollection of that episode.

[Eepsy]

Most

Annoying

Commercial

EVER!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XAFCRT9L7A