Queen of Poisons Fast Facts:– Also known as Monkshood and Wolfbane– Plant contains toxin aconitine– Most Aconitum species are extremely poisonous– Mildly poisonous to touch, deadly if ingested– Almost untraceable during postmortem– Used around the world as arrow poison– Commonly used as a poison– Poison used by The Curry Killer The Queen of Poisons (also…
Articles from April 2021
A to Z Challenge: P (poisons & stories of their use)
Polonium-210 Fast Facts:– Polonium is a rare and highly radioactive metal– “Po” on the periodic table (atomic no.84)– Tiny traces of polonium-210 (210Po) the only naturally occurring form due to its short half-life– The first element to be discovered because of its strong radioactivity– A lethal dose is 15 megabecquerels (0.41 mCi), or 0.089 micrograms…
A to Z Challenge: O (poisons & stories of their use)
Octopus Fast Facts:– Blue-ringed octopus venom is tetrodotoxin– Tetrodotoxin causes paralysis– Tetrodotoxin is also the poison in many tiny frog species in Brazil, the rough-skinned newt in America and puffer fish– Puffer fish (Japanese delicacy fugu) poisons around 50 and kills up to five people every year– Captain James Cook was poisoned by tetrodotoxin (but…
A to Z Challenge: N (poisons & stories of their use)
Nightshade Fast Facts:– Nightshade is also known as belladonna– Scientific name is Atropa belladona– A popular cosmetic in the middle ages– Ingesting a single leaf or 10 berries is lethal– Evidence used to kill Roman emperor Claudius– Used by “Agatha Christie” killer Deadly nightshade is also known as Belladonna (Atropa belladona), derived from the Italian…
A to Z Challenge: M (poisons & stories of their use)
Mercury Fast Facts:– Naturally occurring heavy metal– ‘Hg’ on the periodic table (atomic no.80)– Used in car batteries and thermometers– Low levels not particularly toxic to adults and harmless if touched– Inhaled vapour attacks the brain and lungs– The cause of the Iraqi poisoned grain disaster– Suggested as a possible cause of death of Mozart…