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Polonium is a slowly acting radioactive poison, from which there is no medicine. One gram of polonium can kill about 1.5 million people in a few months. The most famous case of polonium poisoning is the murder of former employee of the KGB-FSB Alexander Litvinenko. The remains of polonium were found in his body in a dose larger by 200 times than necessary for the fatal outcome. He died in three weeks.
Mercury. There are three very dangerous types of mercury. Elementary mercury can be found in glass thermometers. It is harmless when touched, but leads to death if it is inhaled. Inorganic mercury is used in the manufacture of batteries and is lethal only if it is taken inside. Organic mercury is found in fish such as tuna and swordfish (you can not eat more than 170 grams of their meat per week). If you take these fish too long, the harmful substance can accumulate in the body. The famous death from mercury is the death of Amaday Mozart, who was given mercury tablets to treat syphilis.
Cyanide. This poison was used in the books of Agatha Christie. Cyanide is very popular (spies use cyanide tablets to kill themselves, in case of being taken prisoner) and there are many reasons for its popularity. First of all: a huge amount of substances - almonds, apple seeds, apricot stone, tobacco smoke, insecticides, pesticides, etc., serve as a source of cyanide. Murder in this case can be explained by everyday accident, such as the accidental use of a pesticide inside. The fatal dose of cyanide is 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Secondly - cyanide kills quickly. Depending on the dose, death occurs in 15 minutes. Cyanide in the form of gas (hydrogen cyanide) was used by Nazi Germany in gas chambers during the Holocaust.
Botulinum toxin (Botulinum Toxin). If you've read books about Sherlock Holmes - you've heard of this poison. Botulinum toxin causes botulism - a disease that leads to death, if not treated it on time. From botulism, paralysis of the muscles develops, eventually leading to paralysis of the respiratory system and death. The bacterium enters the body through open wounds or contaminated food. Botulinum toxin is the same substance that is used for botox injections.
Arsenic is called the "King of poisons" for its invisibility and strength - its traces were previously impossible to find, so it was often used for murder and in literature. This continued until the invention of the Marsh probe, with the help of which it is possible to find poison in water, food, etc. "The King of Poison" took many lives: Napoleon Bonaparte, George the Third and Simon Bolivar died of this poison. Like belladonna, arsenic was used in the Middle Ages for cosmetic purposes. A few drops of poison made the skin of the woman white and pale.
Chloride of potassium. The most interesting is that potassium chloride is absolutely not toxic. You can eat it with spoons without any harm to your health. Athletes, for example, use potassium chloride as a substitute for salt in their diet. Its toxic properties chloride shows only when the solution gets directly into the blood. mLD = 1 g or 2 ml of 50% solution. Although, talking about the toxic properties is not entirely correct. Potassium ions disrupt the electrolytic balance in the blood and block the activity of the heart. Outwardly it looks like a regular heart attack or sudden vascular death. In the blood, toxin is not detected. Can be detected when analyzing blood for electrolytes.
Methanol. He is a methyl or "woody" alcohol. Transparent liquid, mixed with water and alcohols in any proportions. Has a taste and smell of alcohol. Under normal conditions, it is stable.
The most remarkable property of methanol is its complete identity (by its taste and external qualities) to ordinary wine alcohol. They are very easy to confuse, since without special chemical analysis, it is impossible to make a difference! This is the basis for the diversionary use of methanol.
When mixing it with other alcoholic beverages - it loses its properties. Methanol is effective only when taken internally. Other ways of poisoning are inapplicable.
Toxic properties and doses
mlD = 100 ml. First, the victim has alcohol intoxication, very similar to the usual. After a while - nausea and vomiting. Before the eyes flashing "flies." A few hours later there are pains in the muscles, palpitations. Skin is dry, cyanotic. Then the consciousness is confused, psychomotor agitation is observed, the muscles involuntarily strain. The optic nerve is affected, the victim is blinded. In the future, convulsions, toxic shock and coma develop. Death occurs on day 2-3. Even timely medical care is often ineffective and the patient dies. In any case, lifelong blindness is assured. If the patient, following methanol, takes vodka, then the poisoning will not be so acute and, perhaps, he will survive.
It is easy to determine the presence of methanol in an unfamiliar alcoholic beverage. Spread a copper wire on the lighter and lower it into a glass of vodka. If there is a smell of formalin - then someone wants to poison you with "woody" alcohol!