I used to work for an old eccentric lady who grew oleanders like crazy. She was always on the lookout for that unique oleander flower and would raise cuttings. I think she had a bad memory, because every few days she would tell me about how easy it would be to kill someone by putting some ground up leaf in lemonade. Then one day after a hard day at work in the summer sun, she offered me some lemonade. GULP! I tried to act as if I wasn't thirsty, but she kept insisting. I caved and drank it. WHEW! I quit that job soon after that day. Too weird and scary for me.

I wouldn't try to get water from a poisonous plant unless I had no other option.

I would agree that harvesting water from poisonous plants is sort of a last ditch alternative. There should be plenty of other options to choose from. I just can't imagine there being a whole lot of places where only toxic plants abound.

More to the point, I think the thread points out that if you are using the direct method you want to know what plant you are working with. That seems the more practical, useful point than to see how it could actually be done. Using my method you'd just about have to have a degree in MacGyverisms.

I MacGuyver ish, but not quite a MacGuyver ist.