Biological warfare
The aim of biological warfare is to infect enemies with deadly diseases. It is a modern form of warfare, However, in the Middle Ages the rotting carcasses of animals were catapulted into enemy castles to infect the inhabitants. In 1500 Leonardo da Vinci suggested using bombs containing saliva from mad dogs or pigs, or the venom of animals such as toads and spiders.
Combined gun and plough
This was patented in 1862 by C.M. French and W.H. Fancher of Waterloo, New York. It was designed to be used by farmers so they could quickly turn their ploughs into powerful guns if they were attacked while ploughing.
Hard cheese
In 1865 during a war between Uruguay and Brazil, a Uruguayan ship ran out of cannon balls. Instead they fired stale Dutch cheeses. one of which dismasted an enemy vessel and killed two sailors.
Boomerang bullets
These bullets were invented in the USA in 1870, and were designed to fire in a curved line. The danger was that if they travelled in a complete circle, they could kill the person who fired them.