Handmade dart blowgun set, which includes (a) a blowpipe made of a hollow cylindrical tube of bamboo open at both ends; one end has an attached piece of cylindrical bamboo wood to form a mouthpiece; this is secured on with string and pitch; the outside of the blowpipe has a design made of strips of…
Handmade dart blowgun set, which includes (a) a blowpipe made of a hollow cylindrical tube of bamboo open at both ends; one end has an attached piece of cylindrical bamboo wood to form a mouthpiece; this is secured on with string and pitch; the outside of the blowpipe has a design made of strips of beige and black bamboo; these strips are woven around the outside of the pipe; (b) an accompanying basket made to hold darts for the blowpipe, made of woven strips of beige and black bamboo; the basket is cylindrical, closed at the bottom and open at the top with a slightly flaring lip; a bamboo handle goes from one top edge to the other; there is a piece of soft bamboo in the bottom into which darts can be stuck; (c,d) darts made to fit inside the blowgun; each dart is made from a small stick of black bamboo with a wad of cotton tied on the end with string; there is also a broken end of a third dart (not numbered).
Number Of Parts
4
Part Names
a - blowpipe - Size: Length 46.2 cm. x Diam. 3.7 cm.
b - dart basket - Size: Length 30.8 cm. x Diam. 4.4 cm.
c - dart - Size: Length 25.1 cm x Diam. 1.1 cm
d - dart - Size: Length 25.6 cm. x Diam. 1.0 cm.
Provenance
Owned by Dr. John Wilbur Desmond.
Material
bamboo: beige; black
fabric: white; off-white; green
Permanent Location
Storage Room 0010
0010-D4-8
Condition Remarks
All pieces of the blowgun set were somewhat dusty when they arrived; the blowpipe and basket had been taped together with Scotch tape which deteriorated and left minor adhesive stains on the bamboo; the two darts appear to have been used and are both split at the ends; #2 no new damage
Copy Type
Original
Research Facts
The blowgun and darts demonstrate how curare was used by South American Indians to paralyze animals they were hunting for food; curare was put onto the ends of the dart and would cause muscle paralysiswhen the darts were shot into the animal; the ability of curare to paralyse was turned to anaesthesia and surgery -- especially with chest surgery, etc., where they didn't want the patient moving at all; a ventilator was used to keep the patient from asphyxiating
Exhibit History
On exhibit in Museum gallery, Anaesthesia exhibit - Nov. 13, 1997-Nov. 2, 2001; returned to storage on Dec. 17, 2001