The simplest poison for humans. Invisible killers: the most dangerous poisons of the secret services. Wrestler or Aconite
The Swiss physician and alchemist Paracelsus famously said: “All substances are poisons; there is not one that is not. The right dose distinguishes the poison, ”and he is right. Even the water's in too in large numbers will kill you. However, some substances require very small amounts to cause death - sometimes enough to drop a drop onto a gloved hand - so they were originally placed in the class of poisons. From flowers to heavy metals, from man-made gases to real poison, here are the 25 most dangerous poisons known to mankind.
25. Cyanide can be in the form of a colorless gas or crystals, but in any case it is quite dangerous. It smells like bitter almonds, and once ingested, in just a few minutes it leads to symptoms such as headache, nausea, rapid breathing and increased heart rate, as well as weakness. If left untreated, cyanide kills because the cells are deprived of oxygen. And yes, cyanide can be obtained from apple seeds, but don't worry if you eat a few. You will need to eat about ten kernels before you have enough cyanide in your system to provide Negative influence. Please don't do this.
24. Hydrofluoric acid (Hydrofluoric acid) is a poison used, among other things, for the production of Teflon. In a liquid state, this substance can easily seep through the skin into the bloodstream. In the body, it reacts with calcium and can even destroy the underlying bone. The worst thing is that at first the contact does not cause any pain, which leaves more time and opportunity for serious damage.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
23. Arsenic is a natural crystalline semi-metal and perhaps one of the most famous and common poisons used as a murder weapon in the late 19th century. However, its use for such purposes began in the mid-1700s. Arsenic poisoning can lead to death in a few hours or a few days. The symptoms of poisoning are vomiting and diarrhea, which made it difficult to distinguish arsenic poisoning from dysentery or cholera 120 years ago.
Photo: maxpixel
22. Belladonna or Deadly nightshade is a very poisonous herb (flower) with a very romantic story. An alkaloid called atropine makes it poisonous, and the whole plant is poisonous, with the root containing the most poison and the berries the least. However, even two eaten are enough to kill a child. Some people use belladonna to relax as a hallucinogen, and in Victorian times, women would often drop a tincture of belladonna into their eyes to make their pupils dilate and make their eyes sparkle. Before death, under the influence of belladonna, you may develop a seizure, increase your pulse, and become confused. Don't play with belladonna, kids.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
21. Carbon monoxide (carbon monoxide) is an odorless, tasteless, colorless substance and slightly less dense than air. It will poison and then kill you. Part of the reason carbon monoxide is so dangerous is that it is difficult to detect; sometimes referred to as the "silent killer". This substance prevents the body from delivering oxygen to where it is needed, for example, to the cells in order to keep them alive and working. Early symptoms carbon monoxide poisoning is like the flu without fever: headache, weakness, drowsiness, lethargy, insomnia, nausea, and confusion. Fortunately, you can purchase a detector carbon monoxide in almost every specialty store.
Photo: wikimedia commons
20. The deadliest tree in all of North America grows in Florida. Otherwise, where else would he grow? The Manchineel Tree or Beach Apple Tree has small green fruits that look like apples and are likely to taste sweet. Don't eat them. And don't touch that tree. Do not sit next to or under it, and pray that you will never be under it in the wind. If the juice gets on your skin, it will blister, and if it gets in your eyes, you may go blind. The juice is contained in both the leaves and the bark, so do not touch them. Probably, the juice of this plant killed the conquistador Ponce de Leon, who discovered Florida.
Photo: nps.gov
19. Fluorine is a pale yellow gas that is highly poisonous, corrosive, and will react with almost anything. For fluorine to be lethal, its concentration of 0.000025% is sufficient. It causes blindness and suffocates the victim like mustard gas, but its effects are much worse.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
18. The pesticide used is Compound 1080, also known as sodium fluoroacetate. AT natural form it is found in several plant species in Africa, Brazil and Australia. The terrible truth about this odorless and tasteless deadly poison is that there is no antidote for it. Oddly enough, the bodies of those who died from ingesting this poison remain poisonous for another whole year.
Photo: lizenzhinweisgenerator.de
17. The most dangerous man-made poison is called dioxin, and it only takes 50 micrograms to kill an adult human. It is the third most toxic poison known to science, 60 times more toxic than cyanide.
Photo: wikimedia commons
16. Dimethylmercury (a neurotoxin) is a terrible poison because it can penetrate most standard protective equipment, such as thick latex gloves. This is exactly what happened to a female chemist named Karen Wetterhahn in 1996. A single drop of a colorless liquid fell on the gloved hand, and that was it. Symptoms started FOUR MONTHS later, and six months later she was already dead.
Photo: wikipedia.org
15. Aconite (Wrestler) also known as "monk's hood", "wolf poison", "leopard venom", " female curse”, “Devil Helmet”, “Queen of Poisons” and “Blue Rocket”. In fact, this is a whole genus, including more than 250 herbs, and most of them are extremely poisonous. The flowers can be either blue or yellow, and while some of the plants are used for traditional medicines, they have also been used as a murder weapon over the past decade.
Photo: maxpixel
14. Toxin found in poisonous mushrooms is called amatoxin. It acts on liver and kidney cells and kills them within a few days. It sometimes also affects the heart and the central nervous system. There is a treatment, but the result is not guaranteed. The poison is resistant to temperature and cannot be disposed of by drying. Therefore, if you are not 100% sure that they are safe, do not eat mushrooms.
Photo: maxpixel
13. Anthrax is actually caused by a bacterium called Bacillus anthracis. What makes you sick is not so much the bacteria as the toxin they produce when they enter the body. Bacillus Anthracis can enter your system through the skin, mouth, or respiratory tract. Mortality from anthrax, transmitted by airborne droplets, reaches 75% even with treatment.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
12. The hemlock plant is a classic poisonous plant that was regularly used for execution in Ancient Greece, including the philosopher Socrates. Several varieties exist, with water hemlock being the most common plant in North America. You can die eating it, but people still do it, believing that hemlock is a perfectly acceptable salad ingredient. Water hemlock causes painful and severe convulsions, convulsions and tremors. Those who survive may subsequently suffer from amnesia, or other long-term problems. The water hemlock is considered the deadliest plant in North America. Serious note: keep an eye on your children, even older ones, when they are out and about. Do not eat anything unless you are 100% sure it is safe.
Photo: flickr.com
11. Strychnine is commonly used to destroy small mammals and birds, and is often the main ingredient rat poison. In large doses, strychnine can also be fatal to humans. It can be swallowed, inhaled, or it enters the body through the skin. The first symptoms are painful muscle cramps, nausea and vomiting. Muscle contractions eventually lead to suffocation. Death can occur within half an hour. This is a very unpleasant way to die, for both man and rat.
Photo: flickr.com
10. Most of those who understand such things consider mitotoxin the most powerful marine toxin. It is found in a dinoflagellate algae called Gambierdiscus toxicus, and if those words confuse you, just think of deadly plankton to get the gist. For mice, meiototoxin is the most toxic of the non-protein toxins.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
9. Mercury - the silvery liquid in old school thermometers - is a heavy metal that is quite toxic to humans if inhaled or touched. If touched, it can cause your skin to flake off, and if you inhale mercury vapor, it will eventually turn off your central nervous system and you will die. Before then, you are likely to experience kidney failure, memory loss, brain damage, and blindness.
Photo: flickr.com
8 Polonium Is Radioactive chemical element and involved in the deaths of everyone from Yasser Arafat to Russian dissidents. Its most common form is 250,000 times more toxic than hydrocyanic acid. It is radioactive and emits alpha particles (they are not compatible with organic tissues). Alpha particles cannot penetrate the skin, so polonium must be ingested or injected into the victim. However, if this happens, the result will not be long in coming. According to one theory, a gram of polonium 210 could kill up to ten million people if injected or ingested, causing first radiation poisoning and then cancer.
Photo: flickr.com
7. Suicide tree or Cerbera odollam works by disturbing the natural rhythm of the heart and often causing death. A member of the same family as Oleander, the plant has often been used as a "test of innocence" in Madagascar. An estimated 3,000 people a year died from consuming Cerberus venom before the practice was outlawed in 1861. (If you survived, you were found not guilty. If you died, it didn't matter because you were dead.)
Photo: wikipedia.org
6. Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacterium Clostridium Botulinum and is an incredibly powerful neurotoxin. It causes paralysis, which can lead to death. You may know botulinum toxin by its commercial name, Botox. Yes, this is what the doctor injects into your mom's forehead to make it less wrinkled (or into the neck to help with migraines) to cause muscle paralysis.
Photo: flickr.com
5. Pufferfish is considered a delicacy in some countries, where it is called Fugu; it is a dish that some are literally ready to die for. Why? Because fish contain tetrodotoxin in their guts, and in Japan, about 5 people a year die from eating pufferfish as a result of improper preparation. But gourmets persist.
Photo: commons.wikimedia.org
4. Gas Sarin will give you the opportunity to experience the worst moments in life. Your chest tightens, harder, harder, and then... it relaxes because you're dead. Although Sarin was outlawed in 1995, it has not stopped being used in terrorist attacks.
Photo: flickr
3. golden frog"Poison Arrow" is tiny, charming and quite dangerous. Just one frog the size of the end of your thumb contains enough neurotoxin to kill ten people! A dose equal to about two grains of salt is enough to kill an adult. This is why some tribes in the Amazon used poison to coat the tips of their hunting arrows. One touch of such an arrow will kill you within minutes! Here's a great rule: if you see a frog and it's yellow, blue, green, or red, don't touch it.
Photo: maxpixel
2. Ricin is more deadly than anthrax. This substance is obtained from castor beans, the same plant from which we obtain castor oil. This poison is especially toxic if inhaled, and a pinch of it will kill you very quickly.
Photo: wikimedia commons
1. Codenamed "Purple Possum", belonging to the VX group, the most powerful nerve gas on Earth. It is completely man-made and we can thank the United Kingdom for that. It was technically banned in 1993 and the US allegedly destroyed its stocks. Other countries are "working on it." Which we should totally trust because governments are known to be 100% honest about these things.
Photo: wikimedia commons
“Everything is poison, and nothing is without poison,
one dose makes the poison invisible "
Paracelsus
Dangerous First Aid Kit
Of course, it is no secret to anyone that all drugs are harmful to one degree or another. human body. Opening the insert-instruction before buying an untried drug, many inquisitively study such paragraphs as: SIDE EFFECTS, CONTRAINDICATIONS or SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS. And, having found frightening items (indigestion, intestinal cramps, nausea, dizziness, skin rash, etc.), they put off the “dangerous” drug, which, by the way, was prescribed by a seemingly qualified doctor. Further, out of habit, or on the advice of a more experienced older generation, the choice falls on the old “time-tested” traditional medicines that our mothers and fathers, and maybe grandparents, drank. In pharmacies, these drugs are sold without instructions and in large quantities, which means that they “probably have almost no side effects.” Is it logical? It is guided by this logic that people quite often suffer from the so-called drug disease, sometimes leading to death.
Here, of course, it is worth making a reservation - about the imperfect health care system, about the non-adjusted system of social insurance, about the low standard of living of the population, etc. etc. Yes, all these factors, one way or another, push the patient to buy SOMETHING, which, in his opinion, will be both better and safer and of course cheaper than what the attending physician prescribed.
There are much more dangerous drugs, the sale of which should be restricted, than will be listed in the article. But here we will try to identify the most insidious and popular "poisons" from a dangerous home kit.
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It is among the leaders in sales in many CIS countries. It is often dispensed in pharmacies without a prescription and without instructions, which, by the way, indicate side effects: leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, allergic reactions and not only. Analgin is quite toxic. Today it is banned for sale even in third world countries, not to mention European countries. In Sweden, for example, Analgin was banned back in 1974.
I remember two cases:
My stepfather told me about the first. Back in the 80s school teacher one of the schools in the Izyumsky district of the Kharkov region took 4 tablets of analgin for toothache. The outcome is death.
The second case was told to me by a very nice elderly woman from Evpatoria. After examining her bedridden mother (at that time she was over 90 years old!), The doctor advised taking 2 tablets of Analgin 4 times a day for a cold, and wrote in the prescription: 1 tablet 2 times a day. After a tough conversation with addiction, the doctor admitted that he wanted to "help" and stop suffering elderly woman, for which he was immediately lowered down the stairs of my friend.
And if you scroll through the news archives on request: “Death from Analgin”, you can see the following: “A nurse was sentenced to a year in prison for the death of a patient from analgin”, “A 10-month-old child died from an overdose of analgin”, “The death of a ten-year-old girl after an injection of analgin " and so on. This is a roundup of news from the past few years. And how many such cases have been since Analgin began to be used in medical practice, we can only guess.
Also, Analgin (aka Metamizole sodium) is included in many combined painkillers: Baralgetas, Tempalgin, Spazgan, Renalgan, etc.
Corvalol (Barboval, Corvaldin or Valocordin)
Very fond of our people "natural" "safe" droplets for the heart. In addition to bromoisovaleric acid ester and other natural oils, it contains Phenobarbital which, firstly: does not have any therapeutic effect on the heart; secondly: it depresses the central nervous activity, one might say, dulls the mind and masks the symptoms of diseases of cardio-vascular system; and thirdly: it is addictive, which sometimes leads to an increase in dosage. The use of Phenobarbital is prohibited in many countries. Draw your own conclusions.
or a leaf of the Seine
"Penny" laxative. Natural means “safe”, which means you can be treated with it constantly and, if it doesn’t help, take several pills. As sad as it may be for some, this is a completely natural logical chain.
In practice, Senadexin, with prolonged and regular use (more than a year), can lead to dehydration, impaired water and electrolyte balance and intestinal diseases. It is especially dangerous to combine Senadexin with diuretics (with Furosemide, Lasix, Arifon or Indapamide.)
Phenigidine (Nifedipine)
It belongs to the group of calcium channel blockers. Used to lower blood pressure, prevention of angina pectoris. What is the danger of Nifedipine? Let's figure it out in order.
Today, pharmacology approaches the issue of lowering blood pressure very carefully. Modern antihypertensive drugs are usually taken once, maximum twice a day, the pressure is lowered gradually, sometimes the effect can be observed only a week after the start of therapy. If the treatment regimen is chosen correctly, these drugs are drunk regularly, without interruption. Phenigidine (Nifedipine) vs. modern drugs, rather sharply lowers the pressure and acts for a short time. What follows from this? With a sharp decrease in blood pressure, the body turns on a compensatory mechanism, that is, it tries to slightly increase the pressure. At this point, Nifedipine stops its action (the period of action of Nifedipine is only 3-4 hours) and blood pressure jumps to a critical level, higher than it was before taking the drug, as a result, a hypertensive crisis may develop. This phenomenon is called rebound syndrome. AT Western countries Nifedipine has a rather limited use and is used only in the form of slowly soluble forms: Osmo Adalat (Germany), Nicardia retard (India). That is, after taking a slowly soluble form of nifedipine, blood pressure will not drop sharply, respectively, the rebound syndrome can be avoided.
5 and 6. Raunatin and Adelfan
Another group of drugs for pressure. Adelfan has not been used in world medical practice for a long time, for which it is a dime a dozen in our pharmacies. What's the catch? After all, the base is again “natural” - the alkaloids of the Rauwolfia plant.
It turns out that with long-term treatment of high blood pressure with Rauwolfia preparations, renal blood flow worsens, hence renal failure, hence fluid retention in the body, hence the subsequent increase in pressure. Here is such a paradoxical vicious circle, the use of Raunatin or Adelfan in high blood pressure, leads, over time, to an increase in pressure, in addition, kidney function worsens.
Echinacea tincture
It is known to many as a good, most importantly natural, and therefore “safe” immunostimulant. Not many people know that long-term use Echinacea contributes to the disruption of the nervous system, and, most interestingly, to the “addiction” of the immune system. That is, as long as we regularly take Echinacea, the effect seems to be there, the body's resistance is good. But as soon as we stop Echinacea, colds and flu will hit with a double force.
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Especially dangerous in infancy. Some pediatricians still like to prescribe diazolin to babies for colds and SARS (obviously old school). Diazolin, having a hypnotic effect, also depresses the central nervous activity, there is lethargy, drowsiness. In general, the normal physiological development of the child's body is disturbed.
Levomycetin
For some reason, the stereotype about the miraculous power of this drug in the treatment of various intestinal infections. Although if you look, then Levomycetin has a rather narrow scope. And if we start to treat indigestion, then it is better with sorbents and Nifuroxazide. The most important thing is that taking Levomycetin can lead to severe bone marrow dysfunction and even leukemia.
Eufilin
Eufilin (aka Aminophilin, Teotard) closes the top ten dangerous drugs, but by no means the last drug, the use of which can have serious consequences. What is the danger of using Eufilin? After all, until recently, it was widely used for the treatment bronchial asthma and bronchial obstruction, and some patients and doctors still use it. The answer to this question can be found in the official instructions, where it is written USE WITH CAUTION IN ACUTE PHASE OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION OR ANGINA.
Angina pectoris (or angina pectoris) - a sudden feeling of pain in the chest, the pain usually extends to left hand, jaw and neck. The reason for the development of angina pectoris is due to the "oxygen starvation" of the heart muscle, that is, the discrepancy between the need of the heart and its work.Let's take a closer look at the symptoms of angina pectoris. In addition to acute pain syndrome, angina pectoris can also be accompanied by breathlessness. Thus, the body, as it were, is trying to make up for oxygen starvation heart muscle.
Now let's look at an example. The patient developed angina oxygen deprivation of the heart) accompanied by severe dyspnoea. Further, due to a misunderstanding, Eufilin is taken, based on the logic that Eufilin expands the bronchi, thereby helping the body cope with oxygen starvation and relieve an attack of shortness of breath. BUT again, according to the official instructions, Eufilin, in addition to its bronchodilatory effect, also stimulates cardiac activity, increases the frequency and strength of heart contractions, and thereby INCREASES THE REQUIREMENT OF THE HEART MUSCLE FOR OXYGEN. Thus, with improper use of Eufilin, the oxygen starvation of the heart increases. This therapy will ultimately only complicate general state patient, and can lead to more serious consequences.
In the article "Dangerous First Aid Kit" we tried to shed light only on the most popular, everyday drugs that are fraught with real danger. In fact, the list of dangerous drugs is much longer. Self-medication and irrational use of medicines are even more dangerous.
There are a lot of poisons in the world, some of them act for a long time, others cause instant poisoning. When exposed to the body, each toxic substance causes specific symptoms, the most common of which should be known to every person.
Plant and chemical poisons are very dangerous not only for health, but also for life. To date, there are hundreds of types of potent substances, some of which are used far from good intentions - genocide, terrorism, etc. However, our ancestors, even with the help of the most powerful poison, treated many ailments. One way or another, experts are actively studying this issue today.
The toxicity of toxic substances from the group is caused by an immediate effect on the respiratory properties of cells, which aggravates its work. Cell activity stops internal organs are starting to break down. This leads a person to a very difficult condition, often ending in death. In fact, cyanide is a derivative of hydrocyanic acid.
It looks like a snow-white powder of small crystals. It dissolves quickly in water and is very unstable. Such a poison, in addition to laboratory methods, can be obtained from certain plants (fruit pits, almonds, etc.). However, poisoning is caused by a significant accumulation of a substance in the body.
Potassium cyanide is often used in industry:
- production of paper, plastics and some types of fabrics;
- in reagents for developing photographs;
- in the metal industry, metal alloys are cleaned of impurities with the help of cyanide;
- in granaries, products based on it protect products from rodents.
It is a fast-acting poison that can paralyze within minutes. The lethal dosage is only 0.1 mg / l. The person dies within one hour. First he loses consciousness, then his breathing and heart stop. Because he is considered the most fast poison for a person.
Anthrax spores
This terrible disease has been killing people for centuries. Only in the nineteenth century did the scientist Louis Pasteur succeed in making a vaccine. The specialist studied the resistance of animals to the effects of poisons by introducing a weakened strain of the virus into their bodies. A few years ago, American scientists developed a more effective vaccine.
Anthrax spores feel great in the secretions of an infected individual, getting through them into the soil and water. So they are carried over great distances. In African states, bloodsucking insects can become carriers of poison. The incubation period lasts from several hours to a week. The poison damages blood vessels, leads to swelling, loss of sensation and inflammation. Boils form on the skin, which develop into carbuncles. After some time, other very unpleasant symptoms may appear, from diarrhea to diarrhea. Often the patient is waiting for death.
The danger of sarin
Many Russians are familiar with this substance from school desks and life safety lessons. It is known to be one of the most strong poisons in the world. Since the end of the last century, it began to be used to create WMD (weapons mass destruction). Sarin was discovered by one of the German chemical companies. At first, the substance was used only by the military.
Sarin is a highly volatile, odorless liquid. Therefore, patients begin to think about poisoning only after the onset of symptoms.
Intoxication is possible in several ways:
- when poison enters the oral cavity;
- through contact with the skin;
- through inhalation of fumes (gas).
The organic poison damages the nerve endings, making it impossible for the proteins to keep them going. The mild stage of poisoning is accompanied by general weakness and shortness of breath. Medium - the pupils narrow, the head starts to hurt, tearing, nausea, trembling in the arms and legs appear.
If a person is not given first aid, then death is inevitable. The severe stage has similar symptoms, but they are more pronounced. Vomiting appears, involuntary excretion of urine and feces, headache intensifies. A few minutes later, the person loses consciousness and quickly dies.
Amatoxin is a strong natural poison
This is the strongest of the entire list of natural poisons on planet Earth. Experts have proven that amatoxin is much more dangerous than any snake venom. 
It is contained in the composition of pale grebes. Once in the human body, the toxin affects the liver and kidneys, after which all cells die.
Amatoxin is extremely insidious: manifestations are observed only after ten to twelve hours. In this case, it is already too late to wash the stomach, so you must definitely call a medical team. In the early stages, the patient may be helped by Cephalosporin or Activated carbon. The most severe cases of poisoning with this biological poison require a liver transplant.
Strychnine and its scope
It is a plant toxin that is often used to kill mice, rats, and other rodent pests. Get it in the laboratory from the seeds of chilibukha (an African plant). Such a poison is often mentioned in detective stories, where characters die from it.
It is used in the creation of some drugs that are prescribed in exceptional cases. Indications for the use of such drugs are neurological diseases, impotence, loss of appetite, alcoholism, etc.
Liquid metal - mercury
This substance is mentioned in treatises of 400 BC. But archaeologists also talk about more ancient traces. Mercury is often used in industry, art, medicine and other fields. Mercury vapor is highly toxic. Intoxication can be both cumulative and instant. First, the central nervous system, and then other systems and organs.
The first signs of poisoning are trembling of the eyelids and fingers. After some time, there are problems with the stomach, vomiting, deterioration of sleep and memory. If poisoning with mercury vapor occurs, then at first there is damage to the respiratory system. Late or incorrect medical care can lead to death.
Often people encounter this liquid metal from a thermometer when it is broken. However, not everyone knows what to do in similar situation. First you need to collect all the mercury balls and fragments. This should be done with protective rubber gloves. The rest of the thermometer must be placed in an airtight container.
After all this, the room must be carefully treated with a solution of potassium permanganate of a strong concentration, and all existing surfaces should be wiped with a rag. After a day, the room should be well ventilated.
Many doctors know how to poison a person at home and how to avoid suspicious signs, however, such an act is a criminal offense. Nevertheless, today some people resort to this method in order to eliminate an opponent, this often happens in criminal communities.
Means of natural origin are dangerous if you know what can poison a person. Death is affected not only by pathogens, but also by compounds. A well-known poison is botulinum toxin, which is produced by special microbes that can multiply intensively in a protein environment. It is the cause of intoxication after eating spoiled canned food, mushrooms and other products. In the digestive tract, this toxin is not destroyed by enzymes and is absorbed into the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines.
Persons who choose how to poison a person to death rarely prefer botulinum toxin, since a lethal outcome is rare in this case.
However, signs of illness can always be attributed to the last meal, during which canned meats, sausages and other unsafe food were consumed. Symptoms of poisoning are nausea, vomiting and dryness. skin followed by paralysis of the striated muscles.
Most people are familiar with castor oil, but few are familiar with ricin, a toxin found in castor seeds. Criminals looking for something to quietly poison a person often stop at this poison. It is a white, odorless crystals that dissolve in liquid, however, when boiled aqueous solution dangerous properties the ricin is gone.
The toxic substance does not penetrate through the skin, it acts only when it enters the body. With ricin poisoning, the latent period of intoxication varies from 15 to 24 hours, sometimes symptoms appear earlier. So, intestinal colic, diarrhea with blood, nausea and vomiting are found, and hemorrhages occur on the retina of the eye.
When a significant portion of castor seeds enters the body, death occurs after 6 days due to damage to internal organs, as well as extensive bleeding.
This poison is sometimes chosen by intruders who think how they can quickly poison a person. However, death is rare.
The venom of the pale toadstool was known to medieval politicians and healers who knew how to poison a person to death. Today, scientists have found that the mushroom contains toxins such as phalloidins and alpha-amanitins, which act quickly and irreversibly, these substances are not destroyed by heat treatment.
The latent period without warning signs lasts up to 40 hours before the poison enters the blood in large quantities and causes depressing signs of poisoning. It is characterized by diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, as well as pallor of the skin and increased heart rate. A few days later, extensive damage to internal organs occurs - the liver and kidneys, develops toxic hepatitis and then declared dead.
What can poison a person, if you do not take into account the above means? The following components are used for this purpose:
- atropine;
- solanine;
- aflatoxin.
Atropine is a substance from the group of alkaloids, it lies in plants - belladonna, dope, henbane and others. Intoxication occurs 1 hour after taking the poison, the degree of poisoning may be different.
It is known that atropine affects the structure of the brain, causing impaired coordination, damage to the heart and lungs. Death occurs infrequently due to an insufficient dose of the toxin.
How to poison a person for a short time? In this case, the solanine contained in root vegetables will be a suitable option. It can be found not only in potatoes, but also in tomatoes and eggplants.
Intoxication manifests itself in the form of nausea, vomiting, spastic pain in the abdomen and a feeling of bitterness in the mouth. Nevertheless, it is unlikely to consume a large dose of solanine, therefore death does not threaten the victims.
In addition, aflatoxins, a group of toxic substances secreted by a microscopic fungus, are a common method of poisoning. Under the condition of improper storage, they affect various food products, for example, dried fruits, milk, rice, tea and much more.
The poison in large quantities causes the death of liver cells, however, the poisoning passes without serious consequences and is limited to a temporary deterioration in well-being
In the old days, people knew the best way to poison a person. This is easy to do with the help of ordinary mercury, a dangerous metal causes fatigue, headaches, and memory loss. In addition, there is an increase in body temperature and a decrease in blood pressure. The digestive system also suffers, diarrhea and a metallic taste in the mouth are often observed. When a significant amount of mercury vapor is inhaled, a fatal outcome is inevitable, which is why this remedy has been a weapon of offenders for centuries, who understood how to poison a person without traces of a crime.
Here is a list of the most famous poisons that have been used to kill people throughout history.
Hemlock is a genus of highly toxic flowering plants common in Europe and South Africa. The ancient Greeks used it to kill their captives. For an adult, 100 mg is enough. infusion or about 8 hemlock leaves to cause death - your mind is awake but your body does not react and eventually respiratory system stops. The most famous case of poisoning is considered to be the one sentenced to death for godlessness in 399 BC. e., the Greek philosopher Socrates, who received a very concentrated infusion of hemlock.
Wrestler or Aconite
Ninth place in the list of the most famous poisons is Wrestler - a genus of perennial poisonous plants growing in damp places along the banks of the rivers of Europe, Asia and North America. The poison of this plant causes asphyxia, which leads to suffocation. Poisoning can occur even after touching the leaves without gloves, as the poison is absorbed very quickly and easily. According to legend, Emperor Claudius was poisoned by the poison of this plant. They also lubricated the bolts for the Chu Ko Nu crossbow, one of the unusual ancient weapons.
Belladonna or Beauty
The name belladonna comes from the Italian word and translates as " beautiful woman". In the old days, this plant was used for cosmetic purposes - Italian women instilled belladonna juice into their eyes, the pupils dilated, and the eyes acquired a special luster. Berries were also rubbed on the cheeks so that they acquired a “natural” blush. It is one of the most poisonous plants in the world. All its parts are toxic and contain atropine, which can cause severe poisoning.
Dimethylmercury is a colorless liquid, one of the strongest neurotoxins. Hit 0.1 ml. this liquid on the skin, is already fatal to humans. Interestingly, the symptoms of poisoning begin to appear after several months have elapsed, which is already too late for effective treatment. In 1996, inorganic chemist Karen Wetterhahn conducted experiments at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and spilled one drop of this liquid on her gloved hand - dimethylmercury was absorbed into the skin through latex gloves. Symptoms appeared four months later, and Karen died ten months later.
Tetrodotoxin
Tetrodotoxin is found in two sea creatures- blue-ringed octopus and fugu fish. The octopus is the most dangerous because it intentionally injects its venom, killing the prey in minutes. It has enough poison to kill 26 adults within minutes. Bites are very often painless, which is why many realize that they were only bitten when paralysis sets in. On the other hand, puffer fish is deadly only when it is eaten. But if the fish is properly cooked, it is harmless.
Polonium is a radioactive poison and a slow killer. One gram of polonium fumes can kill about 1.5 million people in just a couple of months. Most famous case poisoning allegedly with polonium-210, there was a case of poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko. Polonium was found in his cup of tea - a dose 200 times the average lethal dose. He died three weeks later.
Mercury is a relatively rare element that is a heavy, silvery-white liquid at room temperature. Only vapors and soluble mercury compounds are poisonous, which cause severe poisoning. Metallic mercury does not have a tangible effect on the body. A well-known death from mercury is (presumably) the Austrian composer Amadeus Mozart.
Cyanide is a deadly poison resulting in internal asphyxia. The lethal dose of cyanide for humans is 1.5 mg. per kilogram of body weight. Cyanide was usually sewn into the collar of the shirts of scouts and spies. In addition, in gaseous form, the poison was used in Nazi Germany, for mass murder in the gas chambers during the Holocaust. It is a proven fact that Rasputin was poisoned with several lethal portions of cyanide, but he did not die, but was drowned.
Botulinum toxin is the most powerful poison known to science organic toxins and substances in general. The poison causes a severe toxic lesion - botulism. Death occurs from hypoxia caused by impaired oxygen metabolism, asphyxia respiratory tract, paralysis of the respiratory muscles and cardiac muscle.
Arsenic has been recognized as the "king of poisons". With arsenic poisoning, symptoms similar to those of cholera (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea) are observed. Arsenic, like Belladonna (item 8), was used in the old days by women to make their faces pale white. There is an assumption that Napoleon was poisoned with arsenic compounds on the island of St. Helena.