Types of poisons. Poisons of plant and animal origin. Types of poisoning poisons

Any toxic substances, whether chemical or vegetable, pose a serious danger to the body. Science knows dozens and hundreds of the strongest poisons, many of which are used by man himself, and far from being for good deeds - this is terrorism, and genocide, and much more. But there were also times when poisons were considered medicines. One way or another, toxic substances are still subjected to active research in laboratories. What is the most powerful poison in the world?

Cyanide

Cyanides are a class of harmful potent substances dangerous to humans. Their toxicity is due to the immediate effect on respiratory functions cells, which, in turn, stops the work of the whole organism. Cells stop functioning, organs fail. All this leads to a severe condition, fraught with death. Cyanide itself is a derivative of hydrocyanic acid.

Externally, cyanide is a white powder with a crystalline structure. It is rather unstable and dissolves well in water. It's about about the most known form- potassium cyanide, and there is also sodium cyanide, which is also quite toxic. The poison is obtained not only in the laboratory, but also extracted from plants. It is important to know that some foods may contain this substance in small amounts. The danger is fraught with almonds, fruit seeds. But poisoning is cumulative.

Cyanide is often used in industrial production - in particular, the production of paper, some fabrics, plastics, as well as in reagents for photo development. In metallurgy, cyanide is used to purify metals from impurities; and in the grain stores they destroy rodents with means based on this poison. The lethal dose of the most dangerous poison in the world is 0.1 mg / l, and death occurs within an hour. If the number is greater, then after ten minutes. First, a person loses consciousness, then stops breathing, and then the heart stops.

For the first time this substance was isolated by the German chemist Bunsen, and in 1845 manufacturing methods were developed on an industrial scale.

Anthrax spores

These substances are causative agents of extremely dangerous infectious disease most often ending in death. At risk of catching Bacillus Anthracis are people who come into contact with agricultural livestock. disputes can be very for a long time stored in the land of the animal burial ground.

The disease has been killing people for many centuries, especially in the Middle Ages. And only in the 19th century, Louis Pasteur managed to create a vaccine against it. He studied the resistance of animals to poisons by injecting them with a weakened strain of the ulcer, as a result of which immunity was developed. In 2010, US scientists created an even more effective vaccine against the disease.

controversy anthrax are found in all secretions of a sick animal, falling with them into the water and the earth. Thus, they can spread hundreds of kilometers from the source of infection. In African countries, insects can also become infected with poison, blood drinkers. Incubation ranges from several hours to seven days. Poison deals irreparable damage blood vessels causing swelling, loss of sensation, inflammatory process. Carbuncles begin to appear on the skin; especially dangerous if they occur on the face. Subsequently, a host of other unpleasant symptoms can occur, from diarrhea to bloody vomiting. Often at the end of the patient waiting for a fatal outcome.

The disease caused by anthrax spores develops extremely rapidly and gives terrible external and internal lesions.

Many residents of Russia remember this name from school life safety lessons. One of the most poisonous substances on Earth since 1991 has been classified as a weapon of mass destruction. And it was discovered in 1938 by a chemical company in Germany and from the very beginning was intended for military purposes.

AT normal conditions Sarin is an odorless liquid that evaporates quickly. Since it cannot be smelled, poisoning can only be guessed when symptoms appear.

Moreover, poisoning occurs both through inhalation of steam, and through contact with the skin or ingestion into the oral cavity.

Sarin binds certain enzymes, in particular protein, so that it can no longer support nerve fibers.

Light degree poisoning is expressed in shortness of breath and weakness. With an average - there is a narrowing of the pupils, lacrimation, strong headache, nausea, trembling limbs. If you do not provide timely assistance, then death occurs in 100% of cases, but even if assistance is provided, then every second poisoned person dies. The severe degree is characterized by the same symptoms as the average, but they are more pronounced and progress faster. Vomiting opens, spontaneous excretion of feces and urine, a headache of incredible strength appears. In a minute a person faints, in five minutes he dies of defeat respiratory center.

Sarin was not used in World War II due to Hitler's prejudice against poison gases.

Amatoxin

This is the most powerful poison of those that are independently produced in nature, it is more powerful than the poison of any snake. It is mainly found in white toadstools and, when ingested, affects the kidneys and liver, and then gradually kills all cells over several days.

The poison is very insidious: the first symptoms appear only after 12 hours, and sometimes up to a day. Of course, gastric lavage is then too late, you need to call an ambulance. Within two days, traces of amatoxin can be detected in the urine test. Can also help the patient Activated carbon and the drug cephalosporin, and in especially difficult cases, one has to resort to a liver transplant. But even after the cure, the patient may still suffer from heart, kidney and liver failure for a long time.

A large dose of penicillin is used as an antidote; if it is not introduced, then a person dies on average per week

It's poison plant origin, most often used in the baiting of small rodents. It has been produced in the laboratory since 1818, extracting from the seeds of the African chilibukha plant. Strychnine is mentioned in many detective novels, where characters die from exposure to this substance. One of the properties of strychnine is also played up: at the very beginning, it causes a sharp and powerful surge of strength by blocking some neurotransmitters.

The substance is used in the manufacture of medicines, but preparations containing strychnine nitrate are prescribed only in the most extreme cases. Indirect indications for use may be neurological diseases in which inhibited nerve impulses; poor appetite; impotence; severe forms alcoholism, which cannot be cured by other methods.

Symptoms of poisoning with this poison are similar to primary symptoms tetanus. These are difficulty breathing, chewing and swallowing, fear of light and convulsions.

To lethal outcome leads to a dose of 1 milligram per 1 kilogram of body weight

The first information about mercury came to us from the depths of time, it is mentioned in documents from 350 BC, and archaeological excavations have found even more ancient traces. The metal was widely used and continues to be used in medicine, art, and industry. Its vapors are extremely toxic, and poisoning can be both instantaneous and cumulative. First of all, the nervous system is harmed, and then the rest of the body systems.

Initial symptoms mercury poisoning - trembling of the fingers and eyelids, later - all parts of the body. Then there are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, insomnia, headache, vomiting, memory impairment. In case of poisoning with vapors, and not with mercury compounds, damage is initially noticed respiratory tract. If exposure to the substance is not stopped in a timely manner, it can lead to death.

The consequences of mercury poisoning can be inherited

Most often, a person encounters mercury from a thermometer, especially if it is broken. But not everyone knows exactly how to act in this situation. First you need to quickly collect all the parts of the thermometer and the balls of mercury. This must be done as carefully as possible, because the remaining particles can cause irreparable harm to residents, especially children and animals. This is done in rubber gloves. In hard-to-reach places, you can collect mercury with a syringe or patch. Put everything collected in a tightly closed container.

The next step- thorough treatment of the premises, also carried out with gloves (already new) and a medical mask. Great for processing concentrated solution potassium permanganate. Wipe absolutely all surfaces in the house with this solution using a rag. Fill any gaps, cracks and other depressions with mortar. It is advisable to leave everything in this form for at least a day. For the next few days, ventilate the room daily.

You can call specialists who will make sure that there is no mercury and its vapors in the house if the thermometer is broken

Tetrodotoxin

Most effective mechanisms protection from those with which nature endowed living beings - neurotoxins. These are substances that specifically damage the nervous system. Tetrodotoxin is perhaps the most dangerous and unusual of them. It is found in a variety of both terrestrial and aquatic animals. The substance tightly blocks the channels nerve cells which causes muscle paralysis.

The most common poison was poisoned in Japan by eating fugu fish. It is surprising that today this fish is still used in cooking and is considered a delicacy - however, you need to know what parts are there and in what season to catch fish. Poisoning occurs extremely quickly, in some cases as early as six hours. It begins with a slight tingling of the lips and tongue, followed by vomiting and weakness, after which the patient falls into a coma. Effective emergency measures assistance has not yet been developed. Only artificial respiration can prolong life, because before death, breathing first stops, and only after a while the heartbeat stops.

Tetrodotoxin has been studied for many years, but not all the details about it have been revealed yet.

The poisons described above are extremely harmful effect on animals, therefore, extreme care must be taken when handling them. It is better if professionals do this.

What thoughts come to your mind when you hear the word "poison"? Of course, many people immediately remember poisonous snakes and spiders, which have always frightened the common man. By asking forensic experts about poisons, you can hear hours of lecture about various types poisons. So what is really behind this mysterious word?

If we talk about a person's acquaintance with poisons, it is worth noting that earlier, under the poison, mankind understood only substances that lead to death. However, today science knows a lot about poisons, and scientists say with confidence that a poison is not necessarily a substance that leads to death. Poisons are harmful substances that, depending on the dosage, can lead to impaired normal functioning organism, which is expressed in the appearance allergic reactions, disease state and even death. In turn, the violation of certain functions of the body can lead to intoxication of the body, the emergence of a disease state and death.

Many people believe that the problem of poisons will never affect them just because they live in huge metropolitan areas where poisonous snakes and scorpions are not found, and rat poison or arsenic can in no way get into their home. But is it? After all, in fact, on a daily basis, we are confronted with toxic substances contained in household chemicals, drugs that are sprayed on the food we eat, paints, etc. How can you fight the enemy called "poison"? Most effective way is to learn as much as possible about him. Only then will you be able to protect your health and life, and perhaps the life of your loved ones and children. So, let's take a closer look at poisons.

PLANT POISONS OF NATURAL ORIGIN

1. Mycotoxins- poisonous substances contained in moldy mushrooms.
2. plant alkaloids- nitrogen-containing organic compounds, which are contained in various doses in many plants. hallmark any alkaloid is a bitter aftertaste. Alkaloids include substances that include indole (hallucinogenic mushrooms), muscarine (fly agaric), pyrrolidine (carrot, tobacco), phenylethylamine ( hallucinogenic plants and neurotransmitters), solanine (potato and tomato leaves), atropine (belladonna, dope).
3. Ricin- poisonous substance protein origin contained in the fruits of castor beans. The lethal dose for humans is 0.3 mg/kg.

ANIMAL POISONS OF NATURAL ORIGIN

1. bacteriotoxins- These are toxic substances that enter the body with the help of bacteria, infections and viruses (botulism toxin, palytoxin).
2. Animal alkaloids are distinguished by some animal species and have several subgroups: batrachotoxin (poisonous leaf-climbing frogs).
3. Typoxin is a poisonous substance secreted by Australian snakes. The lethal dose is considered to be 2 mg/kg.
4. Tityutoxin- a deadly poison secreted by Australian scorpions. The lethal dose is 0.009 mg/kg.
5. Conotoxin- a poison found in the body of some gastropods. The lethal dose is 0.01 mg/kg.
6. snake poison is a huge complex of toxic polypeptides, coupled with enzymes, inorganic components and proteins. There are three main types of snake venom: venom of sea snakes and asps, as well as venom of pit viper and viper snakes.
7. spider venom most often affects the population and domestic animals in tropical countries. After all, most tropical spiders are poisonous, and the degree of influence of their poisons on the body is varied - from mild poisoning to death. Spider venom contains neurotoxins.
8. Poison of jellyfish and coelenterates most often found in stinging cells and have a variety of lethal dosages. The main composition of the poison is neurotoxins.
9. bee venom- a poison, which includes toxic polypeptides. In small doses, it is useful, but with multiple bites it leads to intoxication of the body.

SYNTHETIC POISONS

1. Synthetic alkaloids are mainly pharmacological preparations intended for pain relief. However, their use is strictly limited. safe dosages, because they belong to active substances, which can lead to intoxication of the body with a fatal outcome. Some synthetic alkaloids belonging to the class of psychedelics are passive poisons. Those. they change the mind and behavior of a person so much that they can lead to suicide attempts.
2. Radioisotopes- these are radioactive substances that lead to intoxication of the body, radiation sickness, exacerbation of cancer and death.
3. Ecotoxins is the result negative impact person on environment. In fact, pollution of the atmosphere, soil and water leads to the fact that a person subsequently receives a “boomerang effect”. However, ecotoxins, unlike ordinary poisons, act much deeper - at the level of genetic modification of the human body, causing its genes to mutate.
4. Xenobiotics- These are synthetic substances containing substances harmful to the normal functioning of the body. Xenobiotics are household chemicals, antifreezes, herbicides, freons, paints, plastics, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides, repellents, fumigants, etc. All this is created by human hands and imperceptibly destroys the human body. However, there is a group of dangerous xenobiotics, the effect of which is immediately visible, for example, dioxins, which have acute toxicity.
5. Warfare agents- These are poisons that are used to conduct military operations and defeat the enemy. AT this case man invented a wide variety of toxic substances to destroy their own kind. So it is possible to distinguish combat toxins of various physiological effects on the enemy, according to the speed and severity of the lesion. The most common poisonous substances are mustard gas, phosgene, hydrocyanic acid, sarin and cyanogen chloride.
6. Lachrymators- These are poisonous substances that have a tearing effect on the human body and are widely used to disperse demonstrations and combat violations of law and order.
7. Carbon monoxide- another toxic substance, which is the creation of human hands when misuse gas appliances.

As you can see, all these poisons have different origins and effects on the human body. But what unites them? In fact, the two parts of this table are representatives of different confrontations, where man is on one side of the scale, and nature is on the other. At the same time, in nature, animals and plants use poison mainly to protect themselves from enemies, where the main enemy is man. Man, in turn, began to create poisons in order to fight nature, but he forgot to take into account one "BUT" - the circulation of substances in nature. That is why today we are hostages of the biological and chemical weapons.

There are many poisons in the world different nature. Some of them act almost instantly, others can torment the victim of poisoning for years, slowly destroying it from the inside. True, the concept of poison has no clear boundaries. It all depends on concentration. And often the same substance can act both as a deadly poison and as one of the most necessary components to sustain life. Vitamins are a vivid example of such duality - even a slight excess of their concentration can completely destroy health or kill on the spot.

Here we offer a look at 10 substances that are pure poisons, and are included in the group of the most dangerous and fastest acting.

Cyanide

Cyanide is called quite large group hydrocyanic acid salts. They are all, like the acid itself, extremely poisonous. In the last century, both hydrocyanic acid and cyanogen chloride have been used as chemical warfare agents, and have accounted for tens of thousands of lives.
Potassium cyanide is also famous for its extreme toxicity. Just 200-300mg of this white powder, resembling granulated sugar in appearance, is enough to kill an adult in just a few seconds. Due to such a low dosage and incredibly quick death, this poison was chosen to die by Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Göring and other Nazis.
They tried to poison Grigory Rasputin with this poison. True, the senders mixed cyanide into sweet wine and cakes, not knowing that sugar is one of the most powerful antidotes for this poison. So in the end, they had to use a gun.

Anthrax bacillus

Anthrax is a very severe, rapidly developing disease, which is called Bacillus bacteria anthracis. There are several forms of anthrax. The most "harmless" is skin. Even in the absence of treatment, mortality from this form does not exceed 20%. The intestinal form kills about half of the sick, but the pulmonary form is almost certain death. Even with the help the latest techniques treatment modern doctors it is possible to save no more than 5% of patients.

Sarin

Sarin was created by German scientists who were trying to synthesize a powerful pesticide. But this deadly poison, causing a quick, but very painful death, acquired not on agricultural fields, but as a chemical weapon. Sarin was produced by the ton for military purposes for decades, and it was not until 1993 that its production was banned. But despite calls for the complete destruction of all stocks of this substance, in our time it is used by both terrorists and the military.

Amatoxins

Amatoxins are a whole group of poisons of a protein nature contained in poisonous mushrooms of the amanite family, including the deadly pale grebe. The particular danger of these poisons lies in their "slowness". Once in the human body, they immediately begin their destructive activity, but the victim begins to feel the first ailment no earlier than 10 hours later, and sometimes even after several days, when it is already very difficult for doctors to do anything. Even if such a patient can be saved, he will still suffer for the rest of his life from painful violations of the functions of the liver, kidneys and lungs.

Strychnine

Strychnine is found in large quantities in the nuts of the tropical tree chilibuha. It was from them that it was obtained in 1818 by the French chemists Pelletier and Cavantou. In small doses, strychnine can be used as a drug that increases metabolic processes, improves heart function and treats paralysis. It was even actively used as an antidote for barbiturate poisoning.
However, it is one of the most powerful poisons. His lethal dose even less than the famous potassium cyanide, but it acts much more slowly. Death from strychnine poisoning occurs after about half an hour of terrible torment and severe convulsions.

Mercury

Mercury is extremely dangerous in all its manifestations, but especially severe harm cause its vapors and soluble compounds. Even small amounts of mercury that enter the body cause severe damage to the nervous system, liver, kidneys and the entire gastrointestinal tract.

When entering the body small quantities mercury, the process of poisoning is gradual, but inevitable, since this poison is not excreted, but, on the contrary, accumulates. In ancient times, mercury was widely used for the production of mirrors, as well as felt for hats. chronic poisoning mercury vapor, expressed in a disorder of behavior up to complete insanity, at that time was called the "disease of the old hatter".

Tetrodotoxin

This extremely strong poison is found in the liver, milk and caviar. famous fish fugu, as well as in the skin and eggs of some species of tropical frogs, octopuses, crabs and caviar of the Californian newt. Europeans first became acquainted with the effects of this poison in 1774, when the crew ate an unknown tropical fish on the ship of James Cook, and the slop from dinner was given to the ship's pigs. By morning, all the people were seriously ill, and the pigs were dead.
Tetrodotoxin poisoning is very severe, and even today doctors manage to save less than half of all poisoned people.

It is interesting to note that the famous Japanese delicacy fugu fish is prepared from fish in which the content of the most dangerous toxin exceeds the lethal dose for humans. Lovers of this treat literally words entrust their lives to the art of the cook. But no matter how hard the chefs try, accidents cannot be avoided, and every year several gourmets die after eating an exquisite dish.

Ricin

Ricin is an extremely powerful plant poison. Great danger is the inhalation of its smallest grains. Ricin is about 6 times more potent than potassium cyanide, but was not used as a weapon of mass destruction due to purely technical difficulties. But various special services and terrorists are very "loving" this substance. Politicians and public figures receive letters stuffed with ricin with enviable regularity. True, it rarely comes to a fatal outcome, since the penetration of ricin through the lungs has a rather low efficiency. For a 100% result, it is necessary to inject ricin directly into the blood.

VX (VX)

VX, or, as it is also called, VI-gas, belongs to the category of military poison gases that have a nerve-paralytic effect. He, too, was born as a new pesticide, but soon the military began to use it for their own purposes. Symptoms of poisoning with this gas appear within 1 minute after inhalation or contact with the skin, and death occurs after 10-15 minutes.

Botulinum toxin

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which are pathogens most dangerous disease- botulism. It is the most powerful organic poison and one of the strongest poisons in the world. In the last century, botulinum toxin was part of the arsenal of chemical weapons, but at the same time, active research was carried out regarding its use in medicine. And today great amount people who want to restore the smoothness of their skin at least temporarily experience the influence of this terrible poison, which is part of the most popular medicinal product“Botox”, which once again confirms the validity of the famous statement of the great Paracelsus: “Everything is a poison, everything is a medicine; both are determined by the dose.

It is noteworthy that the products widely used in everyday life can be poisonous. And often the names of the most powerful poisons appear in simple objects. They are always next to a person, and he does not even suspect about them.

methanol

One of the most dangerous poisons for humans - under the name methanol. The thing is that it is often confused with wine alcohol. And you can not distinguish one from the other by taste and smell. Fake alcohol is sometimes made from a deadly poison called methanol. And it is possible to reveal this fact only by conducting an appropriate laboratory research. AT best case a person who has consumed such a drink will go blind.

Mercury

In the old days and still today, many families keep at home mercury thermometer. But if you pour this substance at home, this is quite enough for poisoning. dangerous chemical poison there is no mercury with the name, it is its vapors that are dangerous. They are already separated room temperature. In addition to thermometers, the same element is part of fluorescent lamps. For this reason, safety precautions must be observed with them.

On the this moment There are about 2,500 species of snakes in the world, and only 250 of them have cleverly named venoms. The most famous reptiles of this type are cobras, vipers, rattlesnakes and sand elves. Their venom poses a danger to humans if it enters circulatory system. The first official antidote was released in 1895. At the same time, there are no universal antidotes - it is different for each type of snake.

Potassium cyanide

The fastest deadly poison is called potassium cyanide. It has been used since antiquity, and is the most famous "spy" method of poisoning. It is he who is used in films by intelligence officers - there he is presented in the form of ampoules or tablets. It has the smell of bitter almonds. It is noteworthy that even simple inhalation, touching this substance poisons.

It is part of a number of herbs, products, cigarettes. It is used when extracting gold from ore. Its deadly effect is possible due to the binding of iron in the blood, therefore, the supply of oxygen to the vital important bodies. It is noteworthy that they tried, but failed to poison Grigory Rasputin with this substance. The thing is that it was added to sweet product, and glucose is an antidote for this poison.

Mushrooms

Poison is also found in mushrooms, this is the most accessible type of poisonous substances. The most famous are false mushrooms, pale grebes, stitches, fly agarics. Most often, poisoning with a pale toadstool occurs due to the fact that different types this mushroom has a lot. And a number of them are very similar to edible ones. One mushroom is enough to kill several people at once.

It is noteworthy that the German nation has learned to cook fly agarics in such a way that they lose their poisonous properties. However, such cooking takes at least a day. If the expiration date is violated, such a dish again becomes dangerous for humans.

Potatoes and bread

Potatoes and bread can be safely added to the list of names of poisons. If potatoes are stored incorrectly, solanine accumulates in them. It leads to poisoning up to a lethal outcome. Bread will be poisonous if made from flour with ergot-infected cereals.

The most famous poison

The name of the poison, which is among the most famous, is curare. It is of plant origin, produced in South America. It quickly causes paralysis respiratory organs. Initially, it was used in hunting animals, and in the 20th century, its use in medicine began. He was extremely popular with the Indians.

In the ranking of the most famous names of poisons, one cannot fail to mention arsenic. This is the "royal" poison, which has been used since antiquity. There are known cases of its use even under Caligula. He eliminated competitors in the political arena, he loved to know in the Middle Ages.

Poisoners in history

The most famous users of poisons were representatives of the Borgia dynasty. They actually did it separate view art. An invitation to a feast from them made anyone shudder. The most insidious were Pope Alexander IV Borgia and his children, Cesare and Lucrezia. They deduced their formula and the name of a rare poison - cantarella. Presumably, the composition included arsenic, phosphorus and a copper salt.

It is noteworthy that the father of the family himself died by mistakenly drinking a bowl of poison, which was intended for another.

About the most powerful poison in the world

It is hardly possible to answer exactly which name of the poison implies the most dangerous substance. Extremely strong toxins of botulism, tetanus. And the source of botulism can be homemade.

natural poisons

The most powerful natural poison is batrachotoxin. It is this substance that produces the skin of a small, but such a dangerous dart frog. She lives in Colombia. One such amphibian contains such a concentration of dangerous substances that it can kill several elephants.

radioactive poisons

Very dangerous radioactive poisons. The most famous of these is polonium, which is characterized by a slow effect, but one gram of it is enough to kill 1,500,000 people.

Polonium was found in uranium ore. When you find it outside human body he is not dangerous substance. It does not penetrate skin. But as soon as it is inside the body, polonium instantly causes severe damage to internal organs. Death in this case is inevitable.

chemical poisons

Poisons with the name of the chemical group are produced by synthesizing different substances. One of the strongest poisons of this group is acrolein. It was often used on the battlefields of the First World War as a chemical weapon.

Soman is a combat substance that smells like apples. At the same time, a minute after the defeat, they begin to expand the pupils, difficulty breathing. It began to be used in 1944.

The next known chemical poison is called carbon disulfide. It smells nice enough and acts like a drug. A person poisoned by it loses consciousness, convulsions and a headache begin, vomiting and shortness of breath are possible.

The scientific name of a poison that belongs to the category of chemicals and has ammonia smell, - trimethylamine. Even in small concentrations, it irritates the eyes, the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs, its main effect is suffocating.

Chlorine is the simplest gas that has a metallic taste. It is widely used in the industrial field, it was used and German troops in the First World War. It causes lung burns.

Composition of snake venom

The scientific name for snake venom is serpentotoxin. This substance is mostly made up of proteins that coagulate blood and break down proteins. Sea snakes produce poison with neurotoxins - they paralyze the nervous system. In addition, such substances cause rapid tissue necrosis, upset the work of internal organs, and reduce cardiac choice.

It is noteworthy that the composition snake venoms has not yet been fully explored. But, processing them, a person learned to apply similar substances in medicine. So, cobra venom is used for pain relief. Viper venom is used to eliminate the ability of blood to clot for 3 weeks. There is reason to believe that one day snake venom will become a treatment for thrombosis.

Classification of poisons

A separate classification of poisons is used, and it is carried out for many reasons. So, in forensics, blood poisons are isolated - they change the composition of the blood, sticking together and destroying red blood cells. This group includes arsenic hydrogen, Berthollet salt, carbon monoxide, mushroom poison.

In addition, toxic substances are released that change the composition of hemoglobin. Death is achieved due to the fact that oxygen ceases to flow from the lungs to the tissues. This is how, for example, carbon monoxide, a salt of nitric acid act.

Destructive poisons are a separate category. They provoke necrosis and dystrophy. For the most part, the action affects them internal organs. This category includes arsenic, lead, phosphorus.

There are also neuro-functional poisons, as the name implies, their impact is directed primarily to the human nervous system. Excite the central nervous system strychnine, phenamine. While her morphine, codeine, ethyl, methyl alcohols. Cyanide compounds paralyze the nervous system.

Most poisonous metal is arsenic. It is they who are impregnated with insect repellents.

Pope Clement VII died in 1534 after being poisoned by a toadstool.

Abraham Lincoln's mother died when she drank the milk of a cow that ate poisonous plant, - wrinkled sapling. This cause of death was typical for thousands of people in the 19th century. The leaves of this plant are very similar to nettles, and people often confused them.

It is noteworthy that some animals are very sensitive to poisonous gases. For this reason, they served as indicators for people of the presence of poison in the air. In World War II, for the Germans, it was cats, and for the British, it was budgerigars.

Cyanide was used in the gas chambers. This applies to executions in the United States, and to the destruction of Jews by the Nazis. Survivors describe its smell as "bitter almonds". When cyanide enters the body, it makes it impossible for the blood to circulate. At the moment, executions by this method are prohibited due to inhumanity.

It is noteworthy that one of the most dangerous nerve gases - VX - was originally put on sale as pesticides "Amiton". And only then did scientists find out how dangerous such a substance is for humans. During the Cold War, it was a spare weapon.

In Vietnam War Dow Chemical and Monsanto's defoliant was heavily used. They destroyed trees that were covers for enemies. The composition of the poison includes a substance that provokes the development cancerous tumors. Due to the widespread use of such a composition in Vietnam, many women gave birth to dead children or with deviations - with extra fingers, without individual parts of the body, with mental retardation. And this substance has not yet evaporated, it remains in Vietnam.

Lead is also considered poisonous. It was used as early as 8,000 years ago, but people became aware of its danger not so long ago. Just a couple of decades ago, a person learned that this substance affects the internal organs, provoking poisoning. End effects of lead exposure - mental disorders, diarrhea.

History of poisons

The first mention of an investigation into poisoning is a document drawn up in Rome in 331 BC. Suddenly there was a series of deaths of noble patricians. Initially, a version of the epidemic was expressed, but the denunciation of one of the slaves pointed to the guilt of Cornelia and Sergius - the patricians. They possessed a whole range of poisons. In the course of convincing the Senate that these were drugs, they took these drugs and died.

During the strife in Ancient Rome suicide by poisoning was common. At the same time, it was permissible to give the authorities good reason and get a poisonous decoction. It is noteworthy that it was then that the tradition of clinking glasses appeared - during such a ritual, the wine from the glass splashed out and went to the neighbor. Thus, the man proved that there is no poison in the goblets.

In the writings that have survived to this day since those times, thoughts often appear about how difficult it is to recognize poison. Poisoning over the centuries of development has acquired the features of a separate art - poisoners learned to eliminate bitterness by adding sweet, an unpleasant smell was replaced by odorous substances. Poisons were mixed with medicines intended for the sick. Salvation from this scourge was very difficult.

Poison is a very popular means of killing in literature. Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes books have developed readers' love for fast-acting, untraceable poisons. But poisons are common not only in the literature, there are real cases of using poisons. Here are a dozen known poisons that have been used to kill people for a long time.

10. Hemlock Hemlock, also known as Omega, is a highly toxic flower native to Europe and South Africa. It was very popular with the ancient Greeks, who used it to kill their prisoners. The fatal dose for an adult is 100 milligrams of omega (about 8 leaves of the plant). Death occurs as a result of paralysis, consciousness remains clear, but the body stops responding and soon the respiratory system fails. by the most famous case poisoning with this poison is the death of the Greek philosopher Socrates. In 399 BC he was sentenced to death penalty for disrespect for the Greek gods - the sentence was executed with the help of a concentrated infusion of Hemlock.

9. Aconite
Aconite is obtained from the wrestler plant. This poison leaves behind only one post-mortem sign - suffocation. Poison calls severe arrhythmia which eventually leads to suffocation. You can even get poisoned by simply touching the leaves of the plant without gloves, since the substance is absorbed very quickly and easily. Due to the difficulty in finding the remains of this poison in the body, it has become popular with people trying to commit untraceable murder. Despite this, the aconite has its famous victim. Emperor Claudius poisoned his wife Agrippina with aconite in a dish of mushrooms.

8. Belladonna
This is the favorite poison among girls! Even the name of the plant from which it is obtained comes from the Italian language and means " Beautiful woman". Initially, the plant was used in the Middle Ages for cosmetic purposes - eye drops were made from it, which dilated the pupils, which made women more seductive (according to at least they thought so). If they were rubbed a little on their cheeks, it would give them a reddish tint, which is now achieved with the help of blush. It seems that the plant is not very scary? In fact, if taken internally, even one leaf can be lethal, which is why it has been used to make poisonous arrowheads. Belladonna berries are the most dangerous - 10 attractive berries can be fatal.

7. Dimethylmercury
It is a slow killer, man made. But that's what makes it so much more dangerous. Taking a dose of 0.1 milliliter leads to death. However, the symptoms of poisoning become apparent only after a few months, which greatly complicates the treatment. In 1996, a chemistry teacher at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire dropped a drop of poison on her hand - dimethylmercury passed through a latex glove, symptoms of poisoning appeared four months later, and ten months later she died.

6. Tetrodotoxin (Tetrodotoxin)
This substance is found in marine creatures - blue-ringed octopus (blue-ringed octopus) and pufferfish (fugu). The octopus is more dangerous, as it deliberately poisons the victim with this poison, from which death occurs within a few minutes. The amount of venom released in one bite is enough to kill 26 adults in a few minutes, and the bites are usually so painless that the victim only realizes that they have been bitten when paralysis sets in. pufferfish only dangerous if you intend to eat them. If the pufferfish dish is cooked correctly, then all its poison completely evaporates, and it can be consumed without any consequences, except for the adrenaline rush from the thought that the cook made a mistake when preparing the dish.

5. Polonium
Polonium is a slow-acting radioactive poison for which there is no cure. One gram of polonium can kill about 1.5 million people in a few months. Most famous case polonium poisoning - murder former employee KGB-FSB Alexander Litvinenko. Remains of polonium were found in his body at a dose 200 times greater than necessary for a fatal outcome. He died within three weeks.

4. Mercury
There are three very dangerous species mercury. Elemental mercury can be found in glass thermometers. It is harmless to the touch, but fatal if inhaled. Inorganic mercury is used in the manufacture of batteries and is only lethal if ingested. 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 eat these types of fish for too long, the harmful substance can accumulate in the body. A famous death from mercury is that of Amadeus Mozart, who was given mercury tablets to treat syphilis.

3. Cyanide
This poison was used in the books of Agatha Christie. Cyanide is very popular (spies use cyanide pills to kill themselves if captured) and there are many reasons for its popularity. First of all: a huge number of substances serve as a source of cyanide - almonds, apple seeds, apricot pit, tobacco smoke, insecticides, pesticides, etc. The murder in this case can be explained by a domestic accident, such as accidental ingestion of a pesticide. A fatal dose of cyanide is 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Second, cyanide kills quickly. Depending on the dose, death occurs within 15 minutes. Cyanide in the form of a gas (hydrogen cyanide) was used Nazi Germany in the gas chambers during the Holocaust.

2. Botulinum toxin (Botulinum Toxin)
If you've read the Sherlock Holmes books, you've heard of this poison. Botulinum toxin causes botulism, a disease that is fatal if left untreated. Muscle paralysis develops from botulism, eventually leading to paralysis respiratory system and death. The bacterium enters the body through open wounds or contaminated food. Botulinum toxin is the same substance used in Botox injections.

1. ArsenicArsenic is called the "King of Poisons" for its invisibility and strength - traces of it were previously impossible to find, so it was often used for murder and in literature. This continued until the invention of the Marsh test, which can be used to find poison in water, food, etc. The “King of Poison” claimed many lives: Napoleon Bonaparte, George III and Simon Bolivar died from this poison. Like belladonna, arsenic was used in the Middle Ages for cosmetic purposes. A few drops of poison made the woman's skin white and pale.