Do you think poison has made a resurgence as a murder
weapon or has science simply made it easier to detect? What's your poison…
Arsenic – FYI it's estimated
that approximately 137 million people are exposed to elevated levels through their
drinking water. The Near Perfect Murder Weapon
Ethylene Glycol – while typically only moderately toxic its
sweet taste is the cause for consumption of large quantities. In 2007, 1000 cases
were reported – 16 resulted in death. This is a curious statement - did the coverage increase the poisoning?
Intentional Ethylene
Glycol Poisoning Increase after Media Coverage of Antifreeze Murders and as
proof here are a few examples - Del.
woman killed husband with antifreeze
Sodium Fluoroacetate
– a pesticide with a taste similar to that of salt. It occurs naturally and is produced
synthetically. A possibly famous murder, read it here
- The
dead billionaire and the 'KGB poison killer'.
Mercury – a heavy metal
that occurs in many forms – liquid, vapor, inorganic salts, and can be found in
cosmetics, fluorescent lamps, dental fillings. One of the most interesting
cases involved poison chewing gum that killed both the killer and his fiancée Forensic
Toxicology Poison Murders Solved By William Wolf (1935) or an even earlier
recording of mercury and murder via Fatal
Mercury Poisoning Cases in Forensic Practice.
Dioxin – TCDD is created as
a by-product of industrialization such as the manufacturing of paper by pulp
bleaching, or what is given off by incinerator fumes. Dioxin enters the body
via our consumption of fish, meat, and diary. Agent Orange, a famous purveyor of
the toxin dioxin, has killed or maimed hundreds of thousands, Killing
Me Softly: How Agent Orange Murders Vietnam's Children during and since the
Vietnam War. The
attempted murder of the Passaic River: Moran. Or it's used in political
murders such as the case of Viktor Yushchenko –
Dioxin Murder Most Harmful
Amatoxin – or poison
mushrooms. It can be accidental such as this story Poison
Mushroom Soup Kills 2 Elderly Women Two
die after eating death cap mushrooms or it can be used for murder - Death
of the Emperor Claudius.
Strychnine – another
pesticide that cause spasms and a painful death that could take 2 to 3 hours. Murder
of John P. Stickles 1876 or it can help launch a writing career such as the
famous Agatha Christie and her novel of 1920 - The Mysterious
Affair at Styles.
Tetrodotoxin – is a
neurotoxin found in pufferfish, porcupinefish, and others. It too can be used to
commit murder Lake
in the Hills Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Acquiring and Possessing
Deadly Neurotoxin or it can occur
accidently FDA
Investigates Puffer Fish Poisoning Illness in Virginia.
Cyanide – used as a
pesticide and insecticide It can also be found in tobacco smoke and building
fires, but you can also find it in almonds, apple seeds. Used as a weapon of
war, and in gas chambers, cyanide salts are a popular and fast-acting
suicide device. Cyanide has a long history in manufacturing
and in murder such as A Cyanide Murder In
Chicago or The
Tylenol murders.
Botulinum a neurotoxic protein
produced commercially – type A and Type B – used medically, and cosmetically,
and in research. As a foodborne illness, it can be treated, but when used
medically or cosmetically there are still warnings of adverse side effects. And
yet we willing inject this into our bodies to get rid of wrinkles? Botulinum
Toxin type H- the Deadliest Known Toxin With no Known Antidote Discovered I
did not find proof that Botulinum has been used for murder but … A
Verdict in South Africa
