Disease/Poisons

Diseases
The stabilization serums have virtually wiped out disease on Gor. With the exception of those listed here, the only other consideration is infection. Even with the aid of the serums, one can die from infection.

Bazi la!ue "ri!inated from ort Bazi, it is transmitted throu!h bites of lice. #ome were found immune to it but lethal to others. Those who survive transmit this immunity to their offsprin!. #laves who were infected with the disease were often $illed. This port was closed by the merchants for two years. %t is how the pox was prevented in spreadin! to other cities, eventually endin!. &n infected person is described to have dry lips, yellow eyes, and on the s$in are bro$en open, erupted, blac$, blister'li$e scatterin! of pustules. There is no $nown cure. &lso $nown as the ox. Dar'(osis The literal translation of Dar'(osis is )the *oly Disease) or e+uivalent )the #acred &ffliction,) a disease similar to Earth leprosy. The disease is named so because it is re!arded as bein! holy to the riest'(in!s. Those who suffer from it are re!arded as consecrated to the riest'(in!s. %t is re!arded as heresy to shed their blood. "n the other hand, the &fflicted, as they are called, have little to fear from their fellow men. Their disease is so hi!hly conta!ious, so devastatin! in its effects, and so feared on the planet, that even the boldest of outlaws !ives them a wide berth. The &fflicted en,oy a lar!e amount of freedom of movement on Gor. They wander the countryside in shroudli$e yellow ra!s beatin! a wooden clappin! device to warn men from their path. They are warned to stay away from the habitations of men, and, if they approach too closely, they are sometimes stoned. "ddly enou!h, stonin! the &fflicted is not re!arded as a violation of the riest'(in!s- in,unction a!ainst sheddin! their blood. &s an act of charity, %nitiates have arran!ed at various places Dar'(osis pits where the &fflicted may voluntarily imprison themselves to be fed with food hurled downward from the bac$s of passin! tarns. "nce in a Dar'(osis pit, the &fflicted are not allowed to leave. Those who contract it are re!arded by law as dead. The .aste of hysicians wor$ed on a cure and were set bac$ by the .aste of %nitiates hirin! men to destroy their wor$. This su!!ests that the %nitiates, representin! the riest'(in!s, do not desire a cure to be developed, perhaps usin! the disease as a control method. The .aste of hysicians has determinedly resumed their wor$ on it.

oisons
#ince most poison on Gor is fast actin!, accordin! to the #crolls, there is little chance to treat it in a timely manner. %t is usually a death sentence, as in the case of an ost bite. /or those poisons that are not immediately deadly, there are antivenins or antitoxins available. Gorean medicine is advanced enou!h to produce them, even thou!h it may not have been mentioned. *owever, man'made poisons may have become stron!er to counteract the resistance to it, since a formula could be ad,usted to produce a stron!er solution. oison is considered a!ainst the codes of the warriors and unworthy of men. %t is usually re!arded as a woman-s weapon.

&nimals and lants

.osian Win!fish0 This small, delicate fish has three or four slender spines in its dorsal fin that are poisonous. (anda0 The root of the plant, dried and !round, ma$es a deadly poison. The leaves of the plant may be chewed for a narcotic effect. The poison can be made into a paste that melts by body

heat. This paste can be applied to weapons, such as $nives and arrows, for a deadly effect. 1i$ewise, the past can be applied to the pins of loc$s. Barrels of $anda are used to poison an area-s water supply. 2arsh 2occasin0 & sna$e about five feet lon!, havin! a small, trian!ular head. %t often !lides alon! the surface of the water in swamps and marshes. %t is an uncommon animal. #lower in effect than the ost, it is still +uite poisonous. "st0 The banded ost is a variety of ost, yellowish oran!e and is mar$ed with blac$ rin!s. %t is exceedin!ly poisonous. 3ennel0 These are poisonous, crabli$e desert insects. They tend to !ather and move in swarms. #eaweed, Waters near #chendi0 2any fish in these tropical waters are poisonous to eat, a function of certain forms of seaweed on which they feed. The seaweed is harmless to the fish but it contains substances toxic to humans. #ullius 2aximus- oison0 #ullius 2aximus was $nowled!able in poisons. "ne particular use mentioned was paralyzin! a man who was an enemy. The unfortunate was paralyzed from the nec$ down. There is an antidote. Tropical /ish, Waters near #chendi0 They are toxic by reason of the seaweed on which they feed.

4ses of oisons
/an! 3in!0 The name comes from the fact that it is worn li$e a normal rin!, but there is a place to press which causes a )fan!) to raise up. The venom or poison is stored inside the rin!, the fan! is ,ust li$e a sna$e-s fan!, hollow and when it punctures the s$in, the poison is delivered throu!h it. /ree Women0 Dru!s and poison are often the tools of a /ree Woman, since most are not trained in other ways to defend herself. & /ree Woman may carry a poisoned $nife or needle concealed in her clothes. #he may also use poisoned pins to style her hair. #uch weapons can also be concealed in a room or area $nown only to the woman. oison Girls0 & person can be slain by the bite of a chemically prepared slave. %t is also possible to breed a !irl with poisonous saliva. oisoned Drin$s0 oison, such as $anda or ost is added to a drin$. oisoned Teeth0 &rtificial teeth placed in the mouth, such as upper canine teeth. oison is delivered when the teeth are used in a bite. 2erchants may use this most often, since they do not learn s$ill in arms. #uicide ellets0 #pecial pellets formulated to $ill. They are ta$en when a person does not wish to !ive up information that may be tortured from him. Water #ources0 oison may be added to a place-s water supply to spoil it and cause death and confusion.