5. Hemlock
Hemlock was supposedly the poison that was used to dispatch Socrates. Whilst Descartes may have said, “I think, therefore I am,” Socrates is meant to have lifted his mug of Hemlock and said, “I drink, therefore I’m not.” In Water Hemlock the highest concentrations of the poison cicutoxin can be found in the root and one bite of this can cause death in adults. Water Hemlock causes convulsions and death. Poison Hemlock causes muscle failure and death.
VERDICT: Only acceptable as a beverage when served with fugu and a side order of castor beans.
4. Snake Venom
The toxicity of snakebites is dependent on a lot of factors, varying from the length of time elapsed since the snake last bit, through to the level of danger the snake perceives in its victim. The most poisonous snakes are the vipers, cobras and adders. Symptoms of snakebite poisoning include swelling, organ failure, vomiting, bleeding from the eyes and nose and gums as well as obvious pain at the site of the snakebite.
Interestingly, white males account for more than three quarters of snakebite victims.
VERDICT: I’ve had it with these mother****ing snakes on this mother****ing plane.
3. Arsenic
Historically arsenic was the murderer’s favourite choice and it has always been one of the favourite devices used in murder mystery stories. In the UK it was available as a poison that could be freely bought in chemists to help with rat infestations. Traces of arsenic are present in all human tissues and it is the twentieth most commonly encountered element. When used as a poison, symptoms include severe gastric discomfort, vomiting and diarrhoea with blood.
VERDICT: A horrible poison, but it does have the fun factor of having the word “arse” at the forefront of its name.
2. Strychnine
One of the more popular forms of poisoning at the start of the twentieth century, strychnine attacks the central nervous system and causes exaggerated reflex reactions. With the correct dose a victim could be dead within ten to twenty minutes – having suffered an agony of contortions and death throes.
Strychnine was the murder weapon in Agatha Christie’s first murder-mystery The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Whist this is a fast acting poison, effective treatments are now possible and it can only be seen as an efficient murder weapon in fiction and on very old-fashioned murder mystery shows.
VERDICT: Cruel and inelegant. This almost makes the fiddleback spider look appealing.
1. Cyanide
Cyanide kills by preventing red blood cells from absorbing oxygen. This results in a process known as “internal asphyxia.” Cyanide capsules were supposedly used by World War II spies as an easy escape option to avoid the painful part of a torture and death threat. Lizzie Borden, although more famous for axe crimes, was found to have traces of cyanide in the sugar bowl at her family home – suggesting she had a back up plan in case the forty whacks failed. Rasputin consumed a dose of cyanide that should have been lethal. When it produced no adverse effects his enemies decided it was time to shoot and drown him.
VERDICT: CSI teams can spot cyanide poisoning without leaving the office or seeing the victim. However, for a fictional form of poisoning, and for its universal notoriety, cyanide deserves the number one position in this list.
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