How do poisons affect humans? How does poisoning occur? The most famous poisoners

We present to your attention 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 native to 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 respond and eventually the respiratory system stops. The most famous case of poisoning is considered to be one sentenced to death for atheism in 399 BC. e., the Greek philosopher Socrates, who received a very concentrated infusion of hemlock.

Fighter or Wolfsbane

Ninth place in the list of the most famous poisons is occupied by Borets - a genus of perennial poisonous plants growing in damp places along the banks of rivers in 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, since the poison is absorbed very quickly and easily. According to legend, Emperor Claudius was poisoned by the poison of this plant. It was also used to lubricate bolts for the Chu Ko Nu crossbow, one of the unusual ancient types of weapons.

Belladonna or Belladonna

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 dropped belladonna juice into their eyes, the pupils dilated, and the eyes acquired a special shine. The berries were also rubbed on the cheeks to give them 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 and one of the most powerful neurotoxins. Hit 0.1 ml. this liquid on the skin is already fatal for humans. Interestingly, symptoms of poisoning begin to appear after several months, which is too late for effective treatment. In 1996, inorganic chemist Karen Wetterhahn was conducting 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 the latex gloves. Symptoms appeared four months later, and Karen died ten months later.

Tetrodotoxin

Tetrodotoxin is found in two sea creatures - the blue-ringed octopus and the fugu fish. The octopus is the most dangerous because it deliberately injects its venom, killing its prey within minutes. It has enough poison to kill 26 adults within minutes. The bites are often painless, so many people only realize they have been bitten when paralysis occurs. But fugu fish is only lethal when eaten. But if the fish is cooked correctly, it is harmless.

Polonium is a radioactive poison and a slow killer. One gram of polonium vapor can kill about 1.5 million people in just a couple of months. The most famous case of poisoning allegedly with polonium-210 was that 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 at room temperature is a heavy, silvery-white liquid. Only vapors and soluble mercury compounds are poisonous, causing severe poisoning. Metallic mercury does not have a noticeable effect on the body. A famous case of death from mercury (allegedly) is the Austrian composer Amadeus Mozart.

Cyanide is a deadly poison that results 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 collars of the shirts of scouts and spies. In addition, the poison was used in gaseous form in Nazi Germany for mass murder in gas chambers during the Holocaust. It is a proven fact that Rasputin was poisoned with several lethal doses of cyanide, but he never died, but was drowned.

Botulinum toxin is the most powerful poison known to science among organic toxins and substances in general. The poison causes severe toxic damage - botulism. Death occurs from hypoxia caused by impaired oxygen metabolism, asphyxia of the respiratory tract, paralysis of the respiratory muscles and cardiac muscle.

Arsenic was recognized as the “king of poisons.” Arsenic poisoning causes symptoms similar to those of cholera (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea). Arsenic, like Belladonna (item 8), was used in ancient times by women to make their faces pale white. There is an assumption that Napoleon was poisoned on the island of St. Helena with arsenic compounds.

Excerpts from the book "Claws of Invisibility" by Alexei Gorbylev

“Our destiny is to be invisible, we are knights of the order of invisible deeds, we are a caste of ghosts standing above mere mortals,” these are the words the famous Soviet writer Roman Nikolaevich Kim puts into the mouth of a ninjutsu teacher in his story about ninjas “Ghost School.” Reading these lines, I immediately remember poisons - the most insidious, invisible weapon. Here is a man reading a book, admiring the sunset, basking in the sun's rays, feasting with friends... And suddenly he begins to shake, faints and dies a few minutes later. Yes, poison is a serious thing!
Ninjas, the invisible killers of medieval Japan, were well versed in poisons and knew how and when to use them. Of course, science has come a long way since then. But, despite the fact that the “night demons” did not know the sophisticated synthetic poisons of our days, they
the arsenal was no less effective and terrifying.
Ninjas had many requirements for the quality of poison. They needed poisons that killed instantly, and poisons that killed the victim after many days, so that the shadow of suspicion would not fall on the spy, and he would have time to get out of enemy territory. They needed poisons for which there were no antidotes, poisons whose effects were not similar to those of poison. There is no doubt that over many centuries of searching, the “night demons” were able to find both. We will probably never be able to find out how many prominent political figures and generals were killed by invisible poisoners so that their death did not arouse suspicion in anyone.

DEADLY POISONS (ANSATSUYAKU)
The deadly poisons described in the ninjutsu manuals are divided into four categories:
1. slow-acting poisons mixed into food;
2. poisons that kill after a short period of time, mixed into food;
3. instant poisons mixed into food;
4. poisons that kill when they enter the blood.
1. Slow-acting poisons
A typical example is the poison that was extracted from premium green tea with the poetic name “Gyokuro” - “Jasper Dew”. Thanks to its unique properties, it was very popular among the “night demons.” Gyokuro tea was brewed very strongly, poured into a bamboo container, tightly closed in it and buried for thirty to forty days under the veranda of the house to rot. The resulting liquid black gruel had to be mixed into the victim’s food for several days, 2-3 drops per day. As a result, the average healthy person became seriously ill on the 30th day, and by the 70th day he was sent to the next world. A person weakened by illness gave his soul to God much earlier. So much so that later not a single doctor could determine that the patient’s death
caused by poisoning. Of course, over time, the secret of the gyo-kuro poison was unraveled by doctors, and even a special medical term “shukucha no doku” appeared - “poisoning with tea infused at night.”
American journalists Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell a legend about how one ninja, who settled under the guise of an ordinary resident in an enemy city, slowly but surely poisoned the local “mayor” with gyokuro poison for several months. At the same time, he himself drank the same green tea, to which he added poison, as the mayor and thus averted suspicions that could creep into the soul of the enemy. But... after every tea party he took an antidote. As a result, the “mayor” died, as it seemed to everyone, a natural death, and no one suspected a spy. Al Weiss and Tom Philbin also suggest that ninjas used bamboo, which grows in abundance in Japan, as poison, although this is not specifically mentioned in the literature. As National Geographic magazine wrote, “The stems of many types of bamboo have a skin covered with fluffy, fine hairs. Be careful not to touch them. They penetrate the skin and cause severe irritation.” Indeed, these hairs are the perfect poison. “Bacteria on hairs can even cause blood poisoning. “I read,” the author continues, “that in ancient times hairs from the skin were mixed into food to send the enemy to the next world.”

2. Poisons that kill after a short period of time
Poisons of this effect were made from mineral, plant or animal raw materials. An example of poisons of the first kind is copper oxide (green; green coating formed on copper as a result of oxidation) and rat poison (arsenic).
Plant poisons were extracted from plants such as lycoris (higambana; Fig. 231), caustic buttercup (kimpoge, umanoashigata; Fig. 232), etc.

As for poisons extracted from animals, the ninjas preferred the poison obtained from the hammyo sand beetle (Fig. 233).
3. Instant poisons
The ninja poetically called such poisons “zagarashi-yaku” - “poisons that dry out right on the spot.” The most popular version of this poison was made from the seeds of green plums and green peach, which were taken in equal proportions. In order to obtain poison, the bones were boiled for a long time (always together). This poison was secretly mixed into the victim's food or sprayed into the air in the form of tiny dust so that it entered the respiratory tract. In the latter case, in a matter of seconds one could be sent to the next world with
a dozen enemies crammed into a small Japanese room.
In the Bansenshukai there is a paragraph called “Hoken-jutsu” - “Technique of meeting a dog”, which explains the technique of poisoning man’s four-legged friend: “When entering a house in which there is a dog, two to three days [before operations] need to be mixed with yakimeshi rice (toasted boiled rice)[poison] matin [in proportion] 1 pound (1 pound = 0.375 g) per 1 kolobok and place several koloboks in the place where the dog may appear.”

The poison matin mentioned in the Bansenshukai is nothing more than strychnine. Strychnine is an extremely dangerous deadly poison. To kill a person, only 0.98 milligrams of this substance is enough. When it enters the body with food, it causes
characteristic convulsions when the victim seems to lean back. The poisoned person experiences terrible pain and after a while dies from paralysis of the respiratory system.
Strychnine is an alkaloid. It was extracted from the dried seeds of tropical plants of the genus strychnos (chillibuha), containing up to 3% poisonous alkaloids (Fig. 234).
In Japan, strychnine was widely used during the Edo period as an ingredient in rat poison. It came to Europe only in the 16th century, but its production was strictly prohibited due to the increasing incidence of poisoning.
4. Poisons that kill when they enter the blood
It was with these poisons that ninjas smeared their “death stars”, shurikens, arrowheads, and fukibari arrows. When they entered the bloodstream, they caused almost instantaneous paralysis of the respiratory system and heart, leading to the death of a person. Such poison was obtained from the juice of the torikabuto plant (Japanese wrestler; Fig. 235). Torika-butoh poison is believed to have been invented by the ancient Ainu people of Japan.
(edzo), who treated the tips of their arrows with it and with their help felled bears.

In the absence of torikabuto poison, the victim could be sent to the next world using a shuriken smeared with horse manure. Horse manure contains many pathogenic bacteria that cause erysipelas (erysipelas), often leading to the death of the patient. It is interesting that American soldiers were able to become familiar with this poison, as they say, “first hand” during the Vietnam War: the Vietnamese, just like the ninjas, dipped their knives and bayonets in horse manure and blood.
In addition to deadly poisons, ninjas knew recipes for sleeping potions, drugs that caused paralysis, insanity, and inappropriate reactions.

SLEEPING DRUGS (NARCOTICS) (MASUYAKU)
The instructions for ninjutsu contain recipes for three poisons of this kind.
The first remedy has already been described in Chapter 2 in the section “Poisonous Agents”. It was made from the blood of the red-bellied newt-imori, the blood of the Japanese mole-moger, the blood of a snake and some secret drug, the composition of which has not yet been clarified by researchers. This mixture was soaked into paper, which was twisted into paper twine, set on fire and thrown to the enemy. It was also possible
quietly throw a piece of paper into the brazier in the guardhouse or into the fire at the enemy’s bivouac. Having inhaled the poisonous soporific smoke, the enemy soon fell into a deep sleep.
Another sleeping drug was made from bat, leaves of the aogiri tree (firmiana, sterculia), scolopendra, sandalwood and paper tree kernels, clove tree, evergreen aquilaria tree, mercury and bovine dung. All this had to be crushed into powder, mixed (often small balls were molded from the resulting substance) and set on fire. Having swallowed the smoke of this terrible mixture, people soon fell into a deep sleep.

The recipe for the third sleeping agent, described in the secret instructions of the ninja, was as follows. The hemp leaves had to be dried in the shade and ground into flour. Then the flour was boiled. The resulting broth was mixed with weak tea, which was eventually given to the chosen victim. From one sip a person fell asleep, from 2-3 - he fell into a sleep that was accompanied by fever. If a person was forced
drinking the drug for several days in a row, he simply went crazy.

POISONS CAUSING PARALYSIS (SIBIREYAKU)
The texts describe two poisons of this effect that should be mixed into food. The first ninja poison was obtained from a liquid that
extracted from growths above the eyes of the giant Japanese toad hikigaeru (bufo marinus), considered the largest toad in the world (Fig. 236): the length of its body, not counting the length of its legs, is 22.5 cm! This liquid is so toxic that even if you touch it with your finger, your finger immediately begins to go numb.

Hikigaeru venom causes high blood pressure, headaches and paralysis. Its effects resemble those of taking too much heart medication. To extract the poison, the toad is skewered and roasted. Blisters form on the toad's skin and poison leaks out of the glands. It is collected in a container and allowed to ferment. The second paralysis-causing poison was extracted from the liver of the poisonous puffer fish (Fig. 237). Puffer fish are often called "exploding" or "puffing" fish because they puff up when they get angry or when they are looking for food. Despite the fact that almost all Japanese know about the poisonousness of fugu, every year in the Land of the Rising Sun dozens of people die from its hell. The fact is that fugu is considered a delicious delicacy, served in the most expensive and sophisticated restaurants. The top-class chefs who work there are able not only to prepare fugu for food, but also to remove its hell, which is certified by the state
license. But it's not that simple. Fugu's venom, which chemists call "tetradoxin," retains its properties even when the fish is cooked, and only a tiny amount, 8 to 10 milligrams, is required to be fatal. In addition, hell can be found in any organ of the fish.

The result is multiple deaths caused by eating fugu. In one of the post-war years, 250 accidental poisonings of this kind were recorded. Moreover, more than half of the victims died. Poisoning most often occurs in winter, when fugu fish is the most delicious and at the same time the most poisonous.
To destroy the enemy, it was not at all necessary to extract hell from the fugu. It was enough, under the guise of a cook, to slip a “tasty” piece of undercooked fish onto the victim’s plate. That's all. The poison affected the respiratory center of the brain and paralyzed the respiratory muscles.

POISONS CAUSING TEMPORARY INTERFERENCE OF MIND (KYOKIYAKU)
In order to induce insanity in the victim, it was enough to crush the seeds of white dope (chosen asagao, mandarage; Fig. 238) into dust and mix them into the victim’s food.

A few hours after ingesting 5-10 seeds, a person either fell asleep or went crazy.

POISONS THAT ALLOW TO CAUSE A STATE OF ANXIETY, EXCITATION, INADQUATE REACTIONS IN THE VICTIM (SOJO-YAKU)
A poison that causes severe itching. This poison was extracted from the thorns of the kaikaigusa grass (a type of iracus - Tumberg's nettle; Fig. 239). Of them
they made the finest powder, which they sprinkled on the underwear or neck of the victim, who was then ready to tear her skin to shreds from the terrible itching.
Poison that causes causeless laughter
The poisonous hallucinogenic mushroom waraidake was used as such a remedy (Fig. 240). It was finely chopped and mixed into the food of the victim, who as a result began to roll on the floor, shaking with causeless laughter with a complete lack of self-control.
Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell in their book about one strange incident that occurred when two princes were fighting for control of one of the provinces. One of them, in front of a large gathering of people, declared that he was a god and could strike with blindness anyone who stood in his way. The second prince responded to this statement with laughter. However, soon after lunch he began to go blind and announced to the whole world that his opponent was indeed a god. In fact, the creator of the “deity” was a ninja who poisoned the prince’s bath towel with a poison that caused temporary blindness.

Rats and mice are eternal companions of humans. To combat them, it is best to use biological methods: catching or scaring away, keeping cats and other rat-catching animals in the house. However, with a large population, the use of more radical means is required, namely rat poisons. Their use must be carried out in compliance with safety precautions, despite the fact that human poisoning with rat poison does not happen so often.

A person who is not involved in the production of drugs and baits for rodents is much more likely to become a victim of foodborne illness in the nearest eatery. And yet there are cases of poisons entering the body to kill rodents. How does this happen, what is the lethal dose and what to do in such situations? Let's figure it out.

When is it possible for a person to be poisoned by rat poison?

In Russia, no fatal cases of poisoning with rodent baits have been recorded over the past decades. According to press reports, group poisonings of children occurred in 2007 and 2011. In all cases, the children received timely medical care, and the young patients fully recovered. Thus, in 2007, 15 children aged 3–4 years old were poisoned in Vladimir. Left unattended, they ate peas containing rat poison. In 2011, group poisoning of schoolchildren aged 6–11 years was recorded in the Tyumen region. The children also ate pickled seeds. There are reports of children biting off or swallowing rodent repellent pills in front of their parents.

Can a person die from rat poison? In China, in 2002–2011, cases of intentional poisoning with rat poison, which is prohibited for sale, were recorded repeatedly. The attackers slipped it into the food. There are also known cases of poisoning from eating shish kebab (presumably from the meat of dead rats and foxes). In some cases, death occurred in about 10% of the number of people affected.

The degree of damage to the body and the possibility of death primarily depends on what substance is contained in the bait.

Types of rat poison and its effect on the human body

Rat poison is called a “rodenticide” - it is a means of killing rodents. It belongs to the group of pesticides and is widely used in agriculture and in everyday life. There are several types of rodenticides that differ in the effect of rat poison on animals, including humans.

When rat poison is ingested, the lethal dose for humans will depend on the active substance and the state of health, primarily the liver. It is the liver that synthesizes the factors necessary for normal blood clotting. And anticoagulant poisons destroy these substances. For Warfarin, the lethal dose (LD50) is 60 mg/kg body weight, and for Bromadiolone – 300 mg/kg.

It is difficult to accidentally ingest large amounts of rat poison. To obtain a lethal dose, repeated exposure of anticoagulants to the body will be required. Rats must eat the bait for a week to die. In addition, the finished form of rat poison usually contains from 0.1 to 2% of the active substance. To prepare the bait, the drug is mixed with grain, minced meat or other food attractive to rodents. Rat poison, which includes zoocoumarins, in a ready-to-use mixture contains approximately 2–3% of the drug, which in terms of pure poison is an average of 0.02%. Thus, if an adult needs to eat 3-4 grams of pure poison to die, then in terms of the commercial form this will be about 150 grams. Soft briquettes - anti-rat tablets, so popular today, contain 0.005% poison. Even a child needs to swallow a fairly large piece to become seriously poisoned.

It should be noted that some rat poisons can be absorbed through the skin. Those working on bait preparation should take precautions.

Symptoms of rat poisoning in humans

When a person is poisoned with rat poison, symptoms do not develop immediately, but 3-4 days after the poison enters the body. The disease is characterized by a chronic course. In rare cases, due to taking a large dose of a potent drug, it is possible that signs of a bleeding disorder may develop after 12–24 hours.

The victims noted:

• weakness;
• nausea, loss of appetite;
• headache;
• pallor;
• the appearance of bleeding gums, hemorrhages on the mucous membranes;
• Less commonly, symptoms of rat poison poisoning in humans include diarrhea, blood in the feces, nosebleeds, abdominal pain, and the appearance of bloody spots on the body.

First aid for human poisoning with rat poison

If poison accidentally enters the stomach, you must:

If rat poison gets on human skin, wash it off with warm water and soap; on the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth - rinse thoroughly with running water.

Depending on the dose the victim received and how rat poison affects humans, hospitalization may be necessary. Treatment in a hospital is based on the administration of an antidote - vitamin K1 (Phytomenadione) for 15-30 days and maintenance therapy: hepatoprotectors, forced diuresis. In severe cases, blood plasma transfusions may be required to quickly replenish clotting factors. Recovery is monitored by studying the prothrombin index - a laboratory indicator for assessing blood clotting.

Consequences of human poisoning with rat poison

If a person is poisoned by rat poison, the consequences can be long-term. Therefore, timely seeking medical help is mandatory. The doctor will conduct the necessary laboratory tests and prescribe treatment. Even with a mild degree of damage, long-term intake of vitamin K will be required. Otherwise, it will be difficult for the liver to restore normal blood clotting, and various manifestations of hemophilia syndrome are possible:

• bleeding gums;
• heavy bleeding from wound injuries;
• internal hemorrhages.

Let's summarize what to do if a person is poisoned by rat poison. If rat poison accidentally enters the stomach, induce vomiting, drink a large amount of liquid and take activated charcoal. If the poisoning is chronic, there is no point in inducing vomiting and rinsing the stomach.

In all cases of poisoning, you should consult a doctor for medical treatment.

Below I will try to provide explanations for those who came to the topic of poisons and poisonings the hard way. If I don’t touch on something, or you want to receive more detailed instructions and explanations, don’t hesitate to ask questions, we’ll sort everything out.

So...

1. Common sense. You shouldn't grab potassium cyanide, ricin or anything like that, just because these are the most deadly and effective poisons. These poisons are very difficult to obtain, therefore accidental poisoning is extremely unlikely. It is better to choose a less effective poison that will look more natural in this situation.

A BANAL EXAMPLE: if a person suffers from insomnia, then an overdose of sleeping pills mixed with alcohol looks much more natural than cyanide poisoning. Potassium cyanide does not promote deep and sound sleep, no?

2. Don't underestimate your opponent. The investigator is not at all the stupid and grotesque character that flashes on TV screens. Having the results of the examination in hand, he will understand perfectly well that the death was not accidental at all. Using the magical principle “Who benefits from this anyway?”, he has a great chance of getting on the trail of the poisoner.

3. Single poisoning - fight! You should not poison a person one-on-one if you are not 100% sure of the effectiveness of the poison and your alibi. The best time to use poison for its intended purpose is a feast. Witnesses!!sudden!! there must be a lot of death. There should be no witnesses to your involvement in this. A person who feels unwell during a feast is unlikely to immediately admit it - he will blame it all on alcohol and too fatty food. And he will lose precious minutes that could save his life.

4. Alcohol is a friend for all times! Even the most harmless substances are not friends with Mr. Ethanol. Poisons even more so. Many substances dissolve in alcohol, and alcohol itself dulls the senses - an ideal companion!

5. Don't be too clever. If the target is ordinary drunks, methanol will do a much better job than cyanide. If you have a heart disease, it’s easier to replace the medicine with a more effective one. If you are a drug addict, choose the substance so that it looks like an overdose.

*** For those who like to smoke, you can find options for going completely psychedelic. Optionally - with cruelty, in order to ensure the target a vacation in a madhouse through a berserk rage against a neighbor and her cute dog. For speed lovers, drive a heart into a board, which is not at all that difficult.

6. Preparation. You should not indulge in such matters without considering all the consequences. It is worth carefully thinking over an alibi for yourself: for example, if your wife decided to die, then you should tell everyone a month before this event how bad everything is, how your relationship is collapsing, perhaps you should make an appointment with a psychotherapist. All your words and actions are your alibi. This should not be neglected.

7. Is all this necessary... The responsibility always lies with you. Poisons may give a false sense of freedom and impunity, but this is not the case. You can be easily found and easily detained. Remember to be safe and ask if something is not clear. And remember:

You are responsible for what you do. Killing a granny/mother/wife for the sake of an inheritance or killing a pedophile maniac are completely different things. Use your power wisely.

Nicotine

Characteristics

Nicotine is a dark brown sticky/oily liquid. The lethal dose of pure nicotine is considered to be about 0.06 grams, but for the homemade version it is about 3-4 drops. Death from poisoning occurs within 12-24 hours.

1. Remove tobacco from ten cheaper cigarettes.

2. Grind the tobacco very well, then place it in a small beaker.

3. Pour in isopropyl alcohol (bourbonal can be used in a pinch).

4. Cover the beaker with aluminum foil.

5. Place the beaker in a Bunsen burner or electric fireplace and heat it carefully and gently. Don't let the alcohol get out of control. If the alcohol is boiling, remove the beaker with tongs and return it back when the bubbles from boiling stop appearing. If you don't do this, the alcohol vapor will ignite! If this happens (the vapors ignite), you should remove the beaker, blow off the flame and continue heating the alcohol.

6. After one hour of heating, filter the contents of the beaker using filter paper. Discard any residue remaining on the filter paper.

7. Evaporate the resulting liquid in strong sunlight or by gently heating it. The remainder after the procedures remaining in the container will be nicotine.

With ten cigarettes you can get a dose for about 3 people.

1. The liquid was applied to the shaved back of the rabbit's neck (the rabbit could not lick the liquid). The rabbit immediately showed slower movements. After 11 o'clock the rabbit went berserk and died.

2. 2 ml was given orally to the rabbit. These were the same effects as above, but the rabbit died after 12 hours.

Nicotine is a good skin abuser and touching it is strictly prohibited. The best way to give it orally is in the form of strong coffee - 3-4 drops from a dropper will be enough.

According to some sources, the lethal dose is not 0.06 grams, but 0.5-1 grams.

Potato alkaloid

Characteristics

Green-gray liquid. Lethal dose: 0.06 g. Time to death: less than 2 minutes.

Preparation and Precautions

The preparation procedure is exactly the same as for nicotine except for the fact that the spuds on GREEN potato skins are used instead of tobacco.

Test results

1. 3 ml were given orally to a healthy rabbit. The rabbit immediately began to scream. Blood started coming out of his mouth. After 100 seconds the rabbit died.

2. The same dose was given to a small rabbit. After 7 seconds the rabbit died.

Notes

Cannot be used through the skin - only orally or by injection.

Ricin

Characteristics

Ricin (castor bean poison) appears as a white powder. Lethal dose of ricin: 0.035 g. Death occurs within a couple of minutes from oral administration and several hours from injection.

Manufacturing (only with medical gloves!)

Ricin is obtained from castor beans, the fruit of the plant Ricinus communis (Russian name for castor bean).

1. Take the skins of several castor beans and weigh the white part of the nuts.

2. Grind the beans and add 4 of their weight of acetone.

3. Leave the mixture in a plastic container for three days.

4. Filter the mixture. Dry the remainder. The resulting powder is ricin.

If the mixture is left in acetone for another three days, we obtain ricin in liquid form.

Test results

1 ml of liquid ricin was given orally to the rabbit. The rabbit has problems breathing. There was mucus coming from the mouth. After four hours the rabbit died.

2 ml of liquid ricin was given orally to the rabbit. After 2 minutes the rabbit died.

Notes

The liquid version is most convenient for mixing, especially into alcohol. The powder form may be difficult to dissolve, but can be used in food since ricin powder does not have a strong taste.

Cyanide

Buy yellow blood salt (yellow, not red, these are different substances, do not be confused!). Dehydrate with low heat on a baking sheet (no higher than 150 degrees) so that it turns white, but does not burn (if it turns black, it means it is overheated). Then mix 3 parts of dehydrated blood salt with 5 parts of potash, place in a hermetically sealed iron container and heat in a muffle furnace at 600-700 degrees for several hours. (can be left overnight). Turn off the heat and wait until it cools down.

Knock the resulting stone out of the container with a hammer. Its upper part will be pure cyanide, and its lower part will be potash, they are visually different. You break this stone into large pieces in a basin with a hammer, grind it into powder in a mortar and store it only in an airtight container.

A muffle furnace is a must. It needs to be heated for a long time and the temperature should not be exceeded.

Safety precautions: work in a ventilated area, do not eat cyanide with spoons or sprinkle it on yourself, wear gloves. After the synthesis, do not allow pets into the room for a few more days, since grains of cyanide that will fly far away when breaking the stone with a hammer will remain on the floor; this will be enough for them.

It is difficult to determine the most powerful poison. This definition includes any substance that provokes serious pathological changes in the body. Poisons act in different ways. Some slowly and imperceptibly bring a person to a critical point, others cause unbearable pain.

You can predict the effect and take measures to eliminate serious consequences by finding out the exact cause of the poisoning. There is an antidote for each toxic substance.

Poisonous chemical origin

The most dangerous poisons are developed by humans. Not all were created as chemical warfare agents; for example, sarin was created as a result of the synthesis of pesticides. Its production stopped in the 90s of the 20th century.

The existing reserves were not destroyed, so this poison is used by terrorists and the military. This deadly gas is odorless and colorless and inhaling it can cause chest tightness, nausea, nasal discharge, respiratory failure, spasms, convulsions and coma. As a result, the person loses control of his own body and dies from suffocation.

The negative effects of hydrocyanic acid and the substances that contain it are widely known. Even a small dose can cause death.

The effects of the white powder, which is highly toxic, are blocked by glucose. Contact with this gaseous substance causes seizures and respiratory failure.

Death occurs due to the binding of gas molecules to hemoglobin. Oxygen does not reach the internal organs, and the person simply suffocates.

Another type of poison is methyl alcohol. It is often confused with ethanol. Because of this, people who abuse counterfeit alcohol die due to intoxication. If rescue measures are taken on time, the likelihood of death will be significantly reduced. There is a high risk of complete loss of vision.

V-Ex is considered one of the most dangerous poisons. This gas is used as a chemical weapon of mass destruction. To penetrate the body, inhalation for a few minutes or short contact with the skin is sufficient.

A fast-acting remedy leads to death in just a quarter of an hour.

Don't forget about mercury and arsenic. The first slowly poisons the body, causing partial dysfunction of the central nervous system and subsequent mental disorder. All vital organs suffer from exposure to this metal. Vapors and soluble mercury compounds are formed already at room temperature, so you need to be careful when using a thermometer.

It is impossible to imagine a list of “The most powerful poisons” without arsenic. The 33rd element of Mendeleev's Periodic Table has been used as a poison for more than one century.

Symptoms of intoxication are similar to the clinical manifestations of cholera. It is possible to provoke chemical poisoning through potassium chloride. This substance is intended to fertilize the earth, but its penetration into the body is fraught with sudden cardiac arrest.

Plant substances

Some biological components are also dangerous; such poisons are presented in no less variety than synthetic ones. You can cause death using chilibuja nuts. One of the most famous poisons, strychnine, is obtained from them.

Severe intoxication is accompanied by convulsions that lead to death. This substance is used in small quantities in the treatment of paralysis and to accelerate metabolic metabolism.

A dangerous poison called ricin is produced from castor beans. It is several times stronger than potassium cyanide, but due to technical difficulties it cannot be used as a weapon of mass destruction.

The outcome of poisoning directly depends on the method of penetration of the toxic substance into the body.

If inhaled, death is unlikely, but if even a few grains enter the bloodstream, there is practically no chance of a favorable outcome.

Among plant poisons, curare is considered the most famous. It was prepared on the basis of herbs growing in South America. Death caused by this substance is very painful. The person gradually dies from paralysis of the respiratory system, remaining fully conscious but unable to move.

Poisons produced by representatives of the animal world

The world around us is full of dangers from which people are not immune. Often culinary preferences become the cause of his disability or even death. Fugu dishes are quite popular in Japan due to their “extreme” nature.

Due to the slightest mistake in the cooking process, the visitor can be poisoned. A similar reaction is explained by tetrodotoxin. It is found in the organs of puffer fish, the skin and eggs of aquatic inhabitants living in the tropics.

Neurotoxins, particularly batrachotoxin, are present in the skin of amphibians from Colombia. Their body does not produce poison. It is formed as a result of dart frogs eating their normal food. The toxic substance “kills” the nervous system and causes respiratory failure.

To tropical fish and frogs you can add snakes and spiders. There are 250 species of poisonous snakes recorded in nature. Unfortunately, there is no universal anti-snake serum. To administer the necessary antidote, you need to know what type of animal attacked.

Intoxication occurs when poison enters the bloodstream. A similar effect is caused by the penetration of chiriquitotoxin (chiriqui toad), alpha-latrotoxin (karakurt spider) into the body.

Pathogenic microflora

Poisoning can be caused by poisons produced by pathogenic microorganisms, including:

• Bacteria Clostridium botulinum. They cause botulism, a toxic infectious disease that damages the central and peripheral parts of the nervous system.
• Anthrax bacilli. There are two forms of development: intestinal and cutaneous. The first type of pathology leads to death in 95% of cases. With the second, 80% of patients survive.
• Rods of the genus Clostridium. These are the causative agents of tetanus. Infection occurs when damp soil gets into an open wound. Characteristic symptoms include convulsive syndrome, respiratory and heart failure, and impaired swallowing reflex. In the absence of timely treatment, the likelihood of death is high.

The risk of intoxication of the body increases when consuming spoiled food. For example, if the storage conditions for potatoes are not met, solanine accumulates in them. Even bread can be poisonous if cereals infected with ergot were ground during the production of flour.

Poisonous mushrooms

The most common poisons are amatoxins.

They are found in fly agarics and toadstools. The first signs of poisoning may appear after 10-12 hours. Such slowness is fraught with serious complications.

First aid is provided too late, so it is impossible to prevent the negative impact on internal organs. This will subsequently have a negative impact on your overall health.

10 fastest-acting toxic substances

There are several classifications of poisons. The defining characteristic is the minimum dose that can cause death.

The top ten included only natural substances:

1. Diamphotoxin has the greatest toxic power. It is produced in the body of the larva of the leaf beetle of the genus Diamphidia. Its distribution range is in South Africa. The most dangerous poison can disrupt the electrolyte balance and greatly reduce the level of hemoglobin in the blood. The dose may not exceed 0.000025 mg/kg.
2. The action of a cytotoxic poison called palytoxin becomes fatal at a dosage of 0.00015 mg/kg. It is formed as a result of the vital activity of coral polyps Palythoa toxica, P. Сaribacorum.
3. Batrachotoxin is found in the skin of dart frogs of the genus Phyllobates. The lethal rate is 0.002 mg/kg.
4. Typotoxin is produced by the Australian taipan. At least 0.002 mg/kg of snake venom must enter the blood.
5. Tetrodotoxin poisoning can occur from eating improperly prepared puffer fish. The critical dose is 0.008 mg/kg.
6. Titutoxin is the venom of the yellow scorpion. A rapid lethal outcome is possible even when 0.009 mg/kg penetrates the body.
7. Chiriquitotoxin is found in the skin of toads belonging to Atelopus chiriquiensis. The lethal dose is 0.01 mg/kg.
8. Alpha-conotoxin is found in a substance secreted by the mollusk Conus geographus. The minimum sufficient amount is 0.012 mg/kg.
9. Alpha-latrotoxin is produced by the Latrodectus spider (black widow). Death occurs from 0.045 mg/kg.
10. Neurotoxin II is produced by the Central Asian cobra. The lethal dose is 0.085 mg/kg.

The list of dangerous substances does not end after listing these poisons.

Be careful, do not take unfamiliar drugs and do not touch animals if you are not sure of the safety of your plan. If poison gets inside, be sure to call an ambulance. Delay costs lives.