The Art and Science of Poisons

"Poisons, due to their lethal nature, invoke a sense of fear in humans. Yet, they have also impacted other aspects of human life. Poisons have been used by nomadic hunters to kill their prey, by scientists to explore complex biochemical mechanisms of the body, by physicians to lower cholesterol and to kill cancer cells, by farmers and the general public to destroy pests, by the evil minded for homicide, and by tyrants as weapons of war. The Art and Science of Poisons presents two facets of poisons: the science behind them and their place in history and art. The science of poisons describes their biochemistry and how they kill. The science story voyages into the sub-microscopic world of atoms, molecules, and cells. Only there can we see the true miracles and mysteries of life and death. Chapters in the book explore poisons from snakes, spiders, scorpions, sea creatures, as well as poisons made by humans in the laboratory, and those which are derived from beautiful plants. The art of poisons, on the other hand, encompasses everything else about these agents that conjures up the image of the skull and crossbones. This side of the story explores the legends and tales of intrigue and surreptitious deaths of well-known personalities such as Socrates, Cleopatra, Hitler, and many more. General readers with a curiosity about science and an interest in history and human nature will enjoy both facets presented in this brief, yet varied exploration into the world of poisons"--Publisher's description CONTENTS 6 FOREWORD 10 PREFACE 11 CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION 11 CONFLICT OF INTEREST 11 ACKNOWLEDEGEMENTS 12 DEDICATION 13 The Deadliest Poison 14 INTRODUCTION 14 POISONS MOST VILE 15 Ranking of Poisons by Lethal Dose 16 Toxin from Clostridium Botulinum 18 Nerve Gas 20 Deadly Snake Venom, Taipoxin 22 Radioactive Poison 24 REEVALUATING THE MOST TOXIC POISONS 26 SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL DETAILS AND CALCULATIONS 29 Overview 29 Poisoning by Polonium 30 Poisoning by Nerve Gases 31 TOXICITIES OF SELECTED POISONS 33 Traditional LD50 Toxicities 33 Proposed LD50* Toxicities 34 Sources for LD50 Values 35 NOTES 37 REFERENCES 37 Classical Poisons: Arsenic, Hemlock and the Asp 42 INTRODUCTION 42 TALES OF THREE POISONS 43 Arsenic Poisoning 43 Arsenic May Have Been Used by Nero for Murder 47 Arsenic Poisonings in 19th Century England 47 The Intriguing Case of Marie Lafarge 49 The Overview 49 The Setting 50 The Principal Characters 51 The Intrigue 53 The Alleged Arsenic Poisoning and the Trial 53 Arsenic, the Poison, and its Toxic Mechanisms 57 Arsenic Forensics 61 Hemlock and Death of Socrates 62 Death of Cleopatra by the Asp 64 NOTES 65 REFERENCES 66 Scorpion Venoms 68 INTRODUCTION 68 THE DAWN SINGER 70 SCORPION VENOMS 95 NOTES 98 REFERENCES 101 Poisoned by Lovely Plants 103 INTRODUCTION 103 BELLADONNA, THE DEADLY NIGHTSHADE 104 A SENSATIONAL MURDER STORY MORE THAN 100 YEARS AGO 105 The Trial of Crippen and its Modern Reinvestigation 113 Details of the Crippen Trial 114 Forensic Evidence that Convicted Hawley Crippen 120 FOUR TRAGICALLY POISONOUS PLANTS 120 Introduction 120 White Snakeroot (Argeratina altissima) 120 Caster Bean (Ricinus communis) 122 Ricin Mechanism of Toxicity in the Body 123 The Strange Case of Georgi Markov and Ricin Poisoning 125 Rosary Pea (Jequirity) and Abrin 127 Mechanism of Toxicity of Abrin 128 Monkshood 130 The Strange Case of George Lamson 132 NOTES 134 REFERENCES 134 Cyanide 137 INTRODUCTION 137 CYANIDE, THE POISON 139 Brief History 139 CLINICAL EFFECTS OF CYANIDE 144 Cyanide Poisoning 144 Mechanisms of Cyanide Toxicity 144 Signs and Symptoms of Cyanide Poisoning 146 Treatment for Cyanide Poisoning 147 CYANIDE POISONINGS, THE UNUSUAL AND THE BIZZARE 147 The Circumstances of Rommel’s Death by Cyanide 147 Suicides of Hitler and Eva Braun 149 Suicides of Herman Göring and other Nazi Leaders. 149 Mass Suicides in Germany at the End of WWII 150 Jim Jones and a Mass Killing by Cyanide 151 Slobodan Praljak 152 NOTES 152 REFERENCES 152 Venoms and Poisons from the Sea 155 INTRODUCTION 155 SEA SNAKE 156 SEA ANEMONE 158 FIRE CORAL 159 TETRODOTOXIN 161 Blue-Ringed Octopus, a Source of Tetrodotoxin Poisoning 166 Puffer Fish, a Source of Tetrodotoxin Poisoning 167 CIGUATERA DINOFLAGELLATES AND TOXINS 168 STONE FISH 170 BOX JELLY FISH 171 CONE SHELLS 173 Crown-of-Thorns Starfish, Lion Fish, Stingray, and Scomboid Toxin 175 NOTES 177 REFERENCES 177 Spiders, their Venoms, and a Bit More 181 INTRODUCTION 181 THE SPIDER’S WEB 182 SPIDERS IN LITERATURE 185 Athena and Arachne 187 Other Spider Tales 187 BLACK WIDOW 188 Black Widow Venom, α-latrotoxin plus a Complex of Enzymes 190 SYDNEY FUNNEL-WEB SPIDER 194 Funnel-Web Spider Venoms 196 BRAZILIAN WANDERING SPIDER 198 Effects of Venom 199 BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER 201 Clinical Effects of the Venom 202 THE TRANTULA 204 NOTES 210 REFERENCES 210 Snakes and their Venoms 215 INTRODUCTION 215 RATTLESNAKES 217 Rattlesnake Venom 220 THE COPPERHEAD SNAKE 223 Copperhead Venom 224 THE COTTONMOUTH MOCCASIN 225 Venom of the Cottonmouth Moccasin 226 MAMBAS 227 Black Mamba Venom 228 Green Mambas 229 COBRAS 230 Snake Charmers 231 Cobra Venom 232 Brown Snakes 232 Brown Snake Venom 233 Inland Taipan 235 NOTES 237 REFERENCES 237 A Potpourri of Poisons 240 INTRODUCTION 240 MEDICINES 241 Pain Medications 241 Statins 244 Cancer Drugs 247 Doxorubicin 247 STRYCHNINE 249 CURARE 253 PESTICIDES 255 Paraquat 256 Warfarin and Brodifacoum 257 Alcohols 262 Carbon Monoxide 265 Oxygen 268 NOTES 272 REFERENCES 272 Subject Index 275

Poisons, due to their lethal nature, invoke a sense of fear in humans. Yet, they have also impacted other aspects of human life. Poisons have been used by nomadic hunters to kill their prey, by scientists to explore complex biochemical mechanisms of the b