Page 15 - ARUBA TODAY

A15
LOCAL Tuesday 17 december 2019

Evil eye bean or Bonchi Hojada
Episode XLVIII (48)

Continued from Page 14

If you believe your seeds
are from Abrus precatori-
ous, wrap them WITHOUT
TOUCHING. Label them
and add poisonous do
not to touch or eat. Don’t
leave them lying around to
sort another day. The Rosa-
ry pea is very aesthetically
pleasing, and for this rea-
son it is made into jewelry
by various cultures. Unfor-
tunately some jewelry mak-
ers have died by pricking
their fingers during this pro-
cess. Yup, the rosary pea is
probably the world’s most 7-“Bonchi Hojada” Abstract Interpretation by Etnia Nativa
toxic seed. While intact,
the seeds are mostly harm- 5- (Bonchi Hojada) Abrus precatorious the bracelets but ingestion mended that your return
less (if I can use that word), of any quantity of chewed, them to the supplier. If this
but once the outer coating with easy to see toxic warn- hard shell of the seed and crushed or drilled (e.g. from is not possible then you
is scratched or the seed is ing stickers and have writ- ingest the Abrin. Jequir- a necklace) beans should should bag the bracelets
crushed, as little as 0.1–1 ten a safety data sheet on ity beans are not particu- be regarded serious and and dispose of through
µg/kg can kill a human. how to handle them (never larly harmful in their natural anyone who is suspected normal household waste.
without gloves and avoid state and the seeds are not of ingesting them should In line with good hand hy-
Abrus precatorious causes touching your face!) expected to cause seri- seek medical advice im- giene practices, and as
total bodily system shut While these beans do con- ous problems if swallowed mediately. an additional precaution,
down. For this reason, the tain a poison, it is extremely whole and not chewed. If you think you are in pos- you should also wash your
collection needed warn- unlikely that an individual There have been no report- session of the jequirity hands and avoid touching
ing labels, labelled them would chew through the ed cases of poisonings from bean bracelets it is recom- your eyes after bagging.q