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> Hembane is useful in dying and medicine and as a hallucinogen. Which purpose did it fill?

For consolidation of power. I guess most historical occurrences of "insanity" were simply attempts of elimination by deliberate poisonings.

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Statistically fewer poisonings than other uses. Putting the morals and politics to one side it's much more likely to be mundane. Arsenic was used in dye and as a wood preservative and insecticide far more than to kill people.

We still use its active ingredient (scopolamine) to treat nausea.

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