In this round on FightWrite, we will look at how to write poison into your work. In our last round at FightWrite.net, we looked at medical jargon associated with the effects of common poisons, venoms and toxins, which aren’t the same thing. If you didn’t know that, hop on over to that post and poke around. writing poison writing poison writing poison
I’m going to just touch on a few common poisons. For a longer list, buy my book Fight Write: Writing Battles, Brawls and Bouts. It will be out June 11 but is available for pre-sale. In it I cover some good ole’ standby poisons, a few newbies, some poisonous plants, venomous snakes and the most recent poisoning statistics from the National Capital Poison Center. The book doesn’t have a cover yet, just so you know. Don’t think the cover is the words No Image Available! Also, the title may change. BUT, the good stuff on the inside won’t be touched!
Anthrax – Anthrax is not a poison. Did you know that? It is actually an infection caused by the bacteria bacillus anthracis. So, when you hear on the news that a package was delivered containing a white powder identified as anthrax, that’s not exactly correct. The powder will cause anthrax. It is not itself anthrax.
Bacillus anthracis sets up camp in the lymph nodes of the body. The toxin it creates causes hemorrhaging, edema, a drop in blood pressure and ultimately death.
The bacteria which causes anthrax can be delivered via an odorless mist, powder, liquid or paste. It can invade the body through the skin, lungs, injection or ingestion. Symptoms generally appear within a week of exposure. Once symptoms present, death can occur within three days.
Symptoms of Anthrax:
Cutaneous exposure – Exposure to the skin results in blisters or itchy bumps. Swelling can occur as well as an ulcer with a black center. It can be pretty gross.
Inhalation – Once inhaled, the anthrax bacteria can cause fever, chills, confusion, dizziness, cough, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, headache, sweats, exhaustion, and body aches.
Ingestion – Ingested, anthrax causes fever and chills, swelling of neck or glands in the neck, sore throat, hoarseness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, headache, stomach pain, fainting and abdominal swelling.
Injection – Very similar to cutaneous exposure.
Managed quickly, anthrax can be treated with antibiotics and antitoxin.
Arsenic – Arsenic is odorless, tasteless and gray, white or
silver in color. Symptoms of exposure by inhalation or ingestion can begin in as little as thirty minutes after exposure. Such symptoms include headache, drowsiness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abnormal heart rhythm, muscle cramps, paresthesia in fingers and toes. Death by arsenic poisoning often includes seizures and shock which lead to coma.
Cyanide – Cyanide comes in several forms. It its colorless, gaseous state it is known as hydrogen cyanide or cyanogen chloride. Its crystalline form is known as sodium cyanide or potassium cyanide. It is sometimes described as having a bitter almond smell which is not always detectable. The taste also have been described as acrid and burns the tongue.
Cyanide makes the body unable to utilize oxygen. And, a little goes a long way. A person who weights 160lbs (73kg) who ingests .5 grams of potassium cyanide has a 90% mortality rate. That is about 1/3 tsp. Symptoms of cyanide poisoning include weakness, confusion, extreme lethargy, shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, vomiting, abdominal pain, seizures and coma. It is a completely agonizing way to die. Cyanide poisoning can be treated with a cyanide antidote kit.
Fentanyl – Fentanyl is a opioid analgesic that is almost one hundred times stronger than morphine and ten times stronger than heroine. Yes, really. A thirty milligram dose of heroine has the same effect as a three milligram dose of fentanyl. Both of those doses are high enough to kill an adult. The more you read about this drug, the scarier it is.
Symptoms of overdose include pinpoint pupils, muscle weakness, dizziness, confusion, extreme sleepiness, loss of consciousness, dangerously slowed heart rate, cessation of breathing and cyanosis of nails and lips. Fentanyl kills by depressing the body so much that the victim ceases to breathe and suffocates.
The drug Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is often used to treat an overdose of Fentanyl. Opiate inhibitor drugs such as this bind to opiate receptors in the body to inhibit, revers or block the effects of the opiates. The need for opiate inhibitors has become so widespread they are often carried by paramedics.
Ricin – If you are a fan of Breaking Bad you have heard of ricin. The main character, chemist Walter White, used it twice because he said that it was difficult to detect in the body. He was right. The writers of Breaking Bad always did their homework!
According to the CDC, there are no specific clinically validated assays for detection of ricin that can be performed by hospitals laboratories. There are no methods available for the detection of ricin in bodily fluids. Potential tests would be used more for confirmation of the presence of ricin rather than a diagnosis of it. In other words, you have to go looking for it specifically. It is identified in an autopsy through DNA amplification or antibodies essay.
Ricin works by invading cells and inhibiting them from creating the protein they need to survive. Depending on the type and level of exposure, death can occur within three days. Ricin can be inhaled or inhaled. It will not absorb in the skin. However, if on the skin it can be transferred to the eyes or mouth.
Symptoms of ricin inhalation include difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea, tightness in chest, sweating, pulmonary edema, cyanosis, low blood pressure and, finally, respiratory distress.
Ingestion of ricin can cause vomiting and diarrhea both of which would likely be bloody. (Mercy!) Blood could also be in the urine and seizure and organ failure could occur.
Ok, one more. This post is getting too long!
Strychnine – Strychnine is a favored poison in classic literature. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie and H. G. Wells all utilized it in their work. Norman Bates also used it to kill his mother in the move Psycho. If you’ve not seen that movie, sorry to spoil it for you.
Death by strychnine is dramatic and as the first symptoms
manifest, the victim is conscious and aware that something is going very wrong. Symptoms can begin in as little as fifteen minutes and include agitation, fear, restlessness, painful muscle spasms, uncontrollable arching of neck and back, rigid arms and legs, tightness in jaw and difficulty breathing. Death by strychnine is generally due to brain damage, respiratory failure or cardiac arrest.
In our last round, Poison, Pt 1, we looked at the best poisoning scene ever in The Princess Bride. First, sorry to say, but iocane poison ain’t a thing. And, as well, building up an immunity to a poison ain’t a thing either. Just ask one of my favorite nerds, Kyle Hill.
