Symptoms of arsenic poisoning:
1) It will begin with irritation and burning in the throat, faintness, nausea and depression.
2) It will be followed by vomiting (food then mucus with blood)
3) Abdominal pain (like red-coals on the stomach)
4) Tongue covered in white fur and then constriction in the throat
5) After 12-18 hours, there will be diarrhoea and pain. Cramps will set in to the legs and the pulse will be weak and irregular.
6) Collapse and death soon occur.
7) Externally, the skin will appear blue due to lack of oxygen in the bloodstream (cyanosis)
Treatment:
Chemical and synthetic methods are now used to treat arsenic poisoning. Dimercaprol and dimercaptosuccinic acid are chelating agents which sequester the arsenic away from blood proteins and are used in treating acute arsenic poisoning.
Testings for arsenic:
There are tests available to diagnose poisoning by measuring arsenic in blood, urine, hair, and fingernails. The urine test is the most reliable test for arsenic exposure within the last few days. Urine testing needs to be done within 24–48 hours for an accurate analysis of an acute exposure. Tests on hair and fingernails can measure exposure to high levels of arsenic over the past 6–12 months. These tests can determine if one has been exposed to above-average levels of arsenic.
Marsh Test
The Marsh test is a highly sensitive method in the detection of arsenic, especially useful in the field of forensic toxicology when arsenic was used as a poison. It was developed by the chemist James Marsh and first published 1836.
Interesting facts about arsenic
1) Found in most human bodies
2) Smells like garlic when roasting the metallic ore
What are your favorite stories with arsenic poisoning?
Sources: here
Clarissa
ReplyDeleteIt's funny you should mention arsenic. This is one of the things I considered in a crime novel project where a woman poisons her husband.
But after extensive research, I found that (in the Southwest United States anyway) Spotted Water Hemlock would make a really good poison. It is fast-acting and has been known to kill a full-sized man (or a cow) with just one bite! It grows naturally and readily along low-lying or wet areas throughout North America.
In my story, the perpetrator pulls the plant out of the ground - roots and all - and extracts the oily liquid using a "Juiceman" juicer.
Very interesting post. I have enjoyed all of your "forensic" posts. Keep'em coming.
Hi Clarissa! Thanks for this simply put post on something that can be very difficult to get your head around. In the mystery I'm working on noe, 2 victims die by poisoning - I considered arsenic but went with conium instead. But arsenic is a classic I will probably use lots of times!
ReplyDeleteMentioning arsenic, I also think of the old Cary Grant movie, Arsenic and Old Lace! But I learned a lot about the poison here. So interesting!
ReplyDeleteJ.L. - I don't think people use arsenic now as much as they did in the past. However, it's always handy to have this as a reference.
ReplyDeleteAlexandra - Conium! Wow, that's really cool. Perhaps I'll do a blog on it in the future.
Ann, I loved that movie. Actually, anything with Cary Grant is marvelous.
CD
I love these posts. And I love old Cary Grant movies, too. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThat arsenic, it's a bad'un.
ReplyDeleteI honestly can't recall any novels I've read with arsenic, although I'm sure there's been a few!
Carol, thanks. Also, I love anything with Hitchcock.
ReplyDeleteTalli, yeah, there have been a few. I think Agatha Christie wrote a few herself.
CD
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