Strong toxic substances. The fastest-acting deadly poisons for humans - pharmacy, household Poison name
There are enough natural and artificially derived poisons in the world. The effect of all toxic substances is different. Some can instantly take life, while others destroy the body gradually, forcing a person to suffer for a long time. There are potent substances that in small doses poison a person asymptomatically, but there are also the most dangerous poisons that cause severe pain, which, even in small quantities, can lead to death.
Chemical compounds and gases
Cyanide
Hydrocyanic acid salts are an extremely dangerous poison. With the help of this potent substance, many lives were taken. On the battlefield, cyanide poisoned the enemy, spraying poison, which instantly killed the soldiers, getting on the mucous membranes and affecting the respiratory system. Currently, cyanide is used in analytical chemistry, in gold and silver mining, in electrochemistry, and in organic synthesis.
One of the salts of hydrocyanic acid, the potassium salt, known as potassium cyanide, is a powerful inorganic poison. It looks like granulated sugar, and it can be safely attributed to poisons of instant action. Getting into the human body through the gastrointestinal tract, death occurs instantly, just 1.7 mg per 1 kg of body weight is enough. Potassium cyanide prevents oxygen from entering tissues and cells, as a result of which death from oxygen starvation occurs. The antidotes to this poison are compounds containing hydrocarbons, sulfur and ammonia. Glucose is considered the strongest anti-cyanide, therefore, in case of poisoning, its solution is administered to the victim intravenously.
Apparently, in order to avoid prolonged death throes, this poison was chosen by some famous Nazis to commit suicide, since it acts instantly. According to one version, Adolf Hitler himself was among them.
The vapors of this poisonous element are extremely toxic and insidious, because they are odorless. Mercury acts on the body through the lungs, kidneys, skin and mucous membranes. Soluble compounds of this substance are more dangerous than pure metal, but it tends to gradually evaporate and poison a person.
It is especially detrimental to the population when mercury compounds enter the water body. In the aquatic environment, the metal is converted into methylmercury, and then this strongest organic poison accumulates in the organisms of the inhabitants of the reservoir. If people use this water for domestic needs and fish in such places, then this is fraught with mass poisoning. Regular inhalation of mercury vapor is a delayed-release poison. Toxins accumulate in the body, which leads to nervous disorders, up to the onset of schizophrenia or complete insanity.
Exposure to mercury on a pregnant woman can lead to irreversible consequences, since it spreads with lightning speed through the blood and easily penetrates the placenta. Even a seemingly harmless broken thermometer, which contains a small amount of this potent poisonous substance, can provoke the development of defects in a child inside the mother's womb.
Zarin
The extremely poisonous gas sarin, which was developed by two German scientists, kills a person in one minute. It was used as a chemical weapon in World War II and the civil wars, after which both the United States and the USSR began to produce and stockpile sarin in case of war. After a fatal experimental incident, the production of this poison was discontinued. Nevertheless, Japanese terrorists managed to get this poison and in the mid-nineties - the terrorist attack in the Tokyo subway received a wide response, during which about 6,000 people were poisoned with sarin.
Sarin acts on the body both through the skin and through the respiratory system, affecting the nervous system. The strongest intoxication is observed due to the ingestion of this substance by inhalation. This nerve gas kills a person quickly, but it brings hellish torment. First of all, the gas affects the mucous membranes, a person begins to have a runny nose and blurred eyes, then vomiting and severe pain behind the sternum appear, and the last stage is death from suffocation.
Formaldehydes and phenols
Literally everyone has come across these household poisons, dangerous to humans.
Phenols are found in varnishes and paints, without which no cosmetic repair can do. Formaldehydes can be found in plastics, fiberboard and chipboard.
With prolonged inhalation of these potent toxic substances, breathing is disturbed, all sorts of allergic reactions, dizziness and nausea appear. Constant contact with these poisons can result in malfunctions of the reproductive system, and with severe intoxication, a person can die from laryngeal edema.
Poisons of plant and animal origin
Amatoxin
Amatoxin is a poison that attacks the gastrointestinal tract. The source of poisoning is some types of mushrooms, for example, pale and white toadstool. Even in acute poisoning, amatoxin has a slow effect on an adult, which makes it possible to classify this potent substance as a delayed action poisons. In case of poisoning, there is severe vomiting, pain in the stomach and intestines, incessant bloody diarrhea. On the second day, the victim's liver enlarges and the kidneys fail, after which a coma and death occurs.
A positive prognosis is observed with timely treatment. Despite the fact that amatoxin, like all slow-acting poisons, causes irreparable harm gradually, there have been lightning-fast deaths, mainly among children.
Ricin
This plant poison is six times more toxic than instantly killing cyanide. One pinch is enough to kill an adult.
Ricin was actively used as a weapon in the war, with its help the special services got rid of persons posing a threat to the state. They found out about him quickly enough, since lethal doses of this potent substance were deliberately sent to addressees along with letters.
Anthrax bacillus
It is the causative agent of an infectious disease that poses a great danger to domestic animals and humans. Anthrax is very acute and, as a rule, the infected person dies. The incubation period lasts up to four days. Infection often occurs through damaged areas of the skin, and less often through the respiratory tract.
With the pulmonary form of infection, the prognosis is poor and the mortality rate reaches 95%. Most often, the bacillus is localized in certain areas of the skin, therefore anthrax is one of the most dangerous contact poisons that are fatal to humans. With adequate and timely treatment, a person takes the path of recovery. The infection can affect the intestines and internal organs, leading to sepsis. Another severe form that is cured only in very rare cases is anthrax meningitis.
Despite the fact that mass infection with this poison in everyday life, fortunately, has not been observed for a long time, cases of this terrible disease are still being recorded on the territory of Russia.
The Sanitary and Epidemiological Service regularly conducts veterinary surveillance on the territory of pig farms and agricultural enterprises that keep cattle.
Do not assume that potent toxic substances are only hard-to-reach poisons listed above. Any chemical in large quantities can be a deadly poison for a person in everyday life. This is chlorine, which is used for disinfection, and various detergents, and even vinegar essence. To be wary of poisonous substances, observe precautions when handling them and hide them from children is the unswerving responsibility of every conscious adult.
Let's start with the "king" of poisons - Arsenic. Until 1832, arsenic poisoning was extremely difficult to diagnose, since the symptoms of poisoning with this poison were similar to those of cholera. This similarity made it possible to mask the use of arsenic and its compounds as a deadly poison.
In acute arsenic poisoning, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and depression of the central nervous system are observed.
Antidote: aqueous sodium thiosulfate solution, dimercaprol.
Cyanide
Potassium cyanide, or potassium cyanide, is the most powerful inorganic poison. It looks like granulated sugar.
When cells enter the body, they stop assimilating oxygen, as a result of which the body dies from interstitial hypoxia. Potassium cyanide is absorbed very quickly and therefore death occurs within 15 minutes.
Sarin gas
Sarin gas is a toxic substance with neuroparalytic effects.
The first signs of a person's exposure to sarin are nasal discharge, chest congestion and pupillary constriction. Shortly thereafter, the victim has difficulty breathing, nausea and increased salivation. Then the victim completely loses control of the body's functions. This phase is accompanied by convulsions. Eventually, the victim falls into a coma and suffocates in a fit of convulsive spasms, followed by cardiac arrest.
Antidote: Atropine, Pralidoxime, Diazepam, Athens.
Diamphotoxin
Diamphotoxin is the most powerful poison of animal origin on our planet, contained in the blood of the larvae of the South African leaf beetle.
It is able to reduce the hemoglobin content in the blood by 75% in a short period of time due to the massive destruction of red blood cells.
Antidote: No specific antidote.
Ricin
Ricin is the most potent vegetable poison that is obtained from the castor beans of the castor bean plant.
A few grains are enough to kill an adult. Ricin kills cells in the human body, preventing the production of the proteins it needs, resulting in organ failure. A person can become poisoned with ricin through inhalation or after ingestion.
If inhaled, symptoms of poisoning usually appear 8 hours after exposure, and include difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea, sweating, and chest tightness.
If swallowed, symptoms appear in less than 6 hours and include nausea, low blood pressure, hallucinations, and seizures. Death can occur in 36-72 hours.
Antidote: No specific antidote.
Poison is a very popular murder drug in the literature. The books about Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes have developed a love of fast-acting, non-traceable poisons in readers. But poisons are widespread not only in the literature, there are also 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 killed their prisoners with it. 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. The most famous case of poisoning with this poison is the death of the Greek philosopher Socrates. In 399 BC, he was sentenced to death for contempt of the Greek gods - the sentence was carried out with the help of a concentrated infusion of Hemlock.
9. Aconite
Aconite is obtained from the wrestler plant. This poison leaves behind only one posthumous sign - suffocation. The poison causes severe arrhythmias, which ultimately leads to suffocation. You can even get poisoned by simply touching the leaves of the plant without gloves, since the substance is very quickly and easily absorbed. Due to the difficulty in finding the remains of this poison in the body, it has become popular among people trying to commit untraceable murder. Despite this, aconite has its own famous sacrifice. Emperor Claudius poisoned his wife Agrippina with aconite in a mushroom platter.
8. Belladonna
This is the favorite poison among girls! Even the name of the plant from which it is derived comes from the Italian language and means "Beautiful woman". Initially, the plant was used in the Middle Ages for cosmetic needs - eye drops were made from it, which dilated the pupils, which made women more seductive (at least they thought so). Rubbing a little on their cheeks would give them a reddish tint, which is now achieved with 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 was used to make poisonous arrowheads. Belladonna berries are the most dangerous - 10 attractive berries can be fatal.
7. Dimethylmercury
It is a man-made slow killer. But this is what makes him so much more dangerous. A 0.1 milliliter dose is fatal. However, the symptoms of poisoning become apparent only after several months, which greatly complicates the treatment. In 1996, a chemistry teacher from 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
This substance is found in sea creatures - the blue-ringed octopus and puffer fish (puffer). The octopus is more dangerous, since it deliberately poisons the victim with this poison, from which death occurs within a few minutes. The amount of poison released in one bite is enough to kill 26 adults in a few minutes, and the bites are usually so painless that the victim realizes that he was bitten only when paralysis sets in. Blowfish are only dangerous if you intend to eat them. If the pufferfish fugu 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 in 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. The most famous case of polonium poisoning is the murder of former KGB-FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko. The remnants of polonium were found in his body at a dose 200 times higher than necessary for death. He died in three weeks.
4. Mercury
There are three very dangerous types of mercury. Elemental mercury can be found in glass thermometers. It is harmless to touch, but fatal if inhaled. Inorganic mercury is used in the manufacture of batteries and is only lethal if taken internally. Organic mercury is found in fish such as tuna and swordfish (you cannot eat more than 170 grams of their meat per week). If these types of fish are consumed for too long, the harmful substance can accumulate in the body. The famous death from mercury is the death of Amadeus Mozart, who was given mercury pills to treat syphilis.
3. Cyanide
This poison was used in the books of Agatha Christie. Cyanide is very popular (spies use cyanide tablets 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 pits, tobacco smoke, insecticides, pesticides, etc. The murder in this case can be explained by an everyday accident, such as the accidental ingestion of a pesticide. A fatal dose of cyanide is 1.5 milligrams per kilogram of body weight. Secondly, cyanide kills quickly. Depending on the dose, death occurs within 15 minutes. Cyanide in the form of a gas (hydrogen cyanide) was used by Nazi Germany in gas chambers during the Holocaust.
2. Botulinum Toxin (Botulinum Toxin)
If you've read books about Sherlock Holmes, you've heard about this poison. Botulinum toxin causes botulism, a fatal disease if not treated promptly. Botulism develops muscle paralysis, eventually leading to respiratory paralysis and death. The bacteria enters the body through open wounds or contaminated food. Botulinum toxin is the same substance used for botox injections.
1. Arsenic
Arsenic is called the "King of Poisons" for its invisibility and power - its traces were previously impossible to find, so it is often used for murder and in literature. This continued until the invention of the Marsh test, with which you can 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 for cosmetic purposes during the Middle Ages. A few drops of poison made the woman's skin white and pale.
In nature, there are a huge number of substances that, on the one hand, are hazardous to health, and on the other hand, they help to cure various diseases. It all depends on their number and concentration. When exposed to poisons in small enough quantities, some of them help to recover from the most dangerous diseases, without any pathologies and consequences.
The strongest poison
Poisons are quite diverse: some instantly kill a person, while the effect of others is very slow, gradually leading to a lethal outcome for the body. Some even cause severe pain and terrible anguish. There are a huge number of them, the most dangerous ones are indicated in the article. So dangerous that it is difficult to even determine which poison is the strongest.
Cyanide
Hydrocyanic acid and its derivatives are a very dangerous substance for the human body. A very small amount of it can instantly kill a living organism. However, sugar can resist it, it is an antidote.
Anthrax poison
The bacteria that cause this life-threatening disease belong to the Bacillus anthracis family. They infect healthy cells, leading to their death. If a person has a skin form of the disease, then in 20% it is fatal. With the defeat of the intestinal form of anthrax, 50% of the victims die. The pulmonary form practically leaves no chance for the patient to survive, doctors manage to save only 5%.
Zarin
This substance was obtained as a result of attempts to synthesize pesticides. It is very dangerous, when it enters the body, a person experiences severe torment, which ultimately leads to death. This poison was used as a chemical weapon for a long time, until its production was stopped in the 90s. But at the present time it is still used by terrorists and the military.
Amatoxins
These substances are found in amanita mushrooms. A person can only feel the symptoms after the poison enters the body only after 10 hours or even the next day. Amatoxins have a detrimental effect on all organs, therefore, in most cases, poisoning is fatal. If a person managed to survive, then the rest of his life he will be tormented by pains that arise from internal organs damaged by these substances.
Mercury
This poison penetrates into all internal organs of a person. tends to accumulate, therefore, with a slight ingress of it, it very slowly poisons the body. When a person is poisoned with this substance, the normal activity of the nervous system is disrupted, and a severe mental disorder occurs.
Strychnine
It was discovered by chemists back in the 19th century. This poisonous substance is obtained from chilibuhi nuts. A large amount of it leads to severe poisoning. Subsequently, a slow death occurs, while the person is greatly tormented, and he begins to have convulsions. When used in small amounts, strychnine is an excellent treatment for paralysis. Another useful property is that this substance speeds up the metabolism.
Tetrodotoxin
This poison is found in a Japanese fish called puffer. Its content in the caviar and skin of animals that live in the water in the tropical zone was also noted, and its presence was also recorded in the caviar of the California newt. Doctors do not always manage to cure a person after getting this poison inside, and the mortality rate is high. However, most people still prefer to try this delicacy - fugu dishes. But even the most experienced chef is not immune to the fact that the fish cooked by him will not poison the visitors.
Wee-Ex
This poison is used by the military as a chemical weapon. It paralyzes the human body and also causes a nervous breakdown. If a person inhaled its vapors, or the substance got on the skin, then in less than an hour an agonizing death occurs.
Ricin
Obtained from plants. Its grains are very dangerous, which, if they enter the respiratory tract, endanger human life. He dies if this substance gets into the blood. It is very powerful, even stronger than cyanide, and only because of technical problems it was not possible to use it as a chemical weapon of mass destruction. Still, this poison is used by the military and terrorists.
Botulism toxin
It is produced by the bacterial cells of Clostridium botulinum, which are very dangerous to human health and life. When exposed to them on the body, botulism develops. This poison is widely used in medicine: it is added in small quantities to medicines, and it has also been widely used in operations in which Botox is used. Perhaps botulinum toxin is the most powerful poison for humans.
The poisons described in the article have a detrimental effect on the body, causing death in most cases. And if it is possible to save the victim from intoxication with these substances, then the rest of his life he has various consequences and health problems.
Many curious people, most likely, wondered which creature is the most poisonous on earth. Interestingly, for a long time it was believed that these are snakes and spiders. But research by scientists has painted a different picture for us. And now we will consider what, in their opinion, the most poisonous creature in the world. The top 10 below might surprise some nature lovers.
First place - box jellyfish
Cubomedusa has another name - "sea wasp", because after she stings, the victim experiences unbearable pain. Many would agree that it is the most venomous creature in the world. The Guinness Book of World Records also shares this view. It is reported that this jellyfish kills a person in a short time, from 1 to 3 minutes. But this is not the only thing that makes her a terrible enemy. Deadly tentacles can simultaneously touch up to 60 people if they are within a radius of 8 meters. It is extremely fast and irreversible. The toxins attack the heart muscle and the nervous system, causing hellish pain. If the touch of the tentacles was superficial, severe burns remain.
The antidote exists. If you immediately treat the bite with an acetic acid solution, there is a chance of survival, but this usually cannot be done. The victims of the jellyfish drowned as they fell into shock or died from cardiac arrest. Every year about 6,000 holidaymakers die from the poison of the sea wasp. After the bite, only a few people survived, and they even felt pain a few weeks later.
This most venomous creature in the world (photo shown above) lives in the waters of Northern Australia, but sometimes the "wasp" is found near South Asia. At the same time, it is quite difficult to see the object in the water, since the jellyfish merges. But there is a creature that is not afraid of the box jellyfish - this is the sea turtle.
Second place - king cobra
Some are ready to argue that the most poisonous creature on earth is there are snakes with more toxic venom. But in the Guinness Book, she takes an honorable second place due to how much poison she injects at one time. It reaches 4 meters in length, but since these cobras grow all their lives (and they can live for 30 years), some individuals reach 6 meters.
The dose of venom injected depends on the size of the victim, but the dose is usually slightly more than is necessary for the lethal outcome.
A case was recorded when an Indian elephant died within three hours, as it was struck by a king cobra. With a large amount of poison, a person dies in 15 minutes from the onset of paralysis and respiratory arrest. But even worse is the fact that the cobra is able to rise by a third of its height. If its length is 5 meters, then it stretches 1.6 meters. But it can be encouraging that they are not the first to attack (unless disturbed).
Its habitat is the forests of South Asia, but since there is an active felling, cobras are forced to move closer to the human habitat.
Third place - scorpion Leiurus
Another most venomous creature in the world is the Leiurus scorpion, which is found in North Africa, as well as in the Middle East. Although these scorpions are non-aggressive and will not attack unless they sense danger, their venom can kill a person. Although there are many dangerous scorpions in nature, this subspecies is the most deadly. Leiruses carry a "cocktail" of antipsychotics, if it gets into the blood, the victim will die.
At first, the stung place swells and the person feels incredible pain, after which a fever sets in, developing into convulsions. In conclusion, there is paralysis and death. Interestingly, before committing a deadly attack, the "baby" begins to move, as if dancing, and this warns of his intention.
Fourth place - taipan
Among the world, the creature is the taipan. The danger lies in the huge amount of poison that is released during the attack. This land snake is capable of fatally killing 100 people. Its poisonous mixture is about 400 times more toxic than that of a regular cobra. After being bitten by an adult, death occurs in an average of 45 minutes. About 90% of cases of attacks for humans are fatal, even though the antidote exists and many people know about it.
This snake is very aggressive and can attack suddenly at a speed of 4 m / s. But at the same time, taipans are rather shy and, sensing danger, can crawl away. This creature lives in Australia on arid plains, but often creeps up to the water.
Fifth place - dart frog
Some believe that the most venomous creature on the planet is the poison dart frog due to its deceptive appearance. She looks very attractive and completely defenseless, but this is a hoax. Her skin of a bright saturated color is covered with poison (batrachotoxin), which, when it gets on a person through microscopic damage, easily penetrates the body. A gram of its poison can kill 10 people. This toxic substance is composed of hundreds of components that have a nerve effect. The scary thing is that the antidote has not yet been created and it is practically impossible to escape from the effects of the poison that has got on the skin.
Scientists know 179 species of these "deceptive" creatures. They are divided into night (harmless) and day (toxic).
These poisonous amphibians can grow up to 8 cm. But the smallest are considered the most poisonous (1.5 - 2.5 cm). They can be found in Central and South America in rain forests. They are also called "dart frogs" because in the past the Aborigines used their venom to lubricate arrowheads.
It is noteworthy that these creatures do not produce poison on their own, they get it from poisonous insects.
Sixth place - blue-ringed octopus
This ring-shaped octopus also earned a place in the ranking of "the most venomous creature on the planet." Although this creature is small in size, no larger than a baseball (weight 100 grams), it has a toxic and dangerous poison. One portion that the octopus secretes at a time is enough to poison 25 people. Death can occur in a few minutes. During this time, the victim will begin to feel problems with vision and speech, and numbness will occur. Further, it will become difficult for a person to breathe. The next disastrous symptom is complete paralysis. Lack of oxygen and cardiac arrest will lead to death. It is impossible to neutralize the effect of the poison, since no antidote has been created.
This "cute" creature lives near the Australian and South Asian coasts. It is widespread and prefers shallow depths. Fortunately, he leads a nightlife, so it is not easy to stumble upon him. In addition, the creature has a calm disposition and attacks only if it is "pissed off". Its ability to change color sometimes leads to incidents, because the octopus is confused with other harmless coastal inhabitants.
Seventh place - wandering spider
Another most poisonous creature in the world, which is feared, even without knowing about its toxicity, is the wandering spider. He has a rather aggressive disposition. In addition, it is terrifying that it is the largest of all spiders in the world.
It can be found in Central and South America in the tropical region, especially on banana plantations, but sometimes this creature climbs into homes. He does not weave webs and travels himself to find food, this is what makes him very dangerous. He can stop for rest in a residential building, hide in a car or clothes. As a result, the percentage of spider attacks is very high. This arthropod is not shy and is immediately ready to attack, so if you had to meet with him, do not try to scare him, because he will not retreat, you better run.
Spider venom causes lung spasm and loss of muscle control. The person may suffocate. Also, toxins affect the lymphatic system and cardiac arrest can occur. While still alive, the victim feels how the body gradually stiffens. The poison is 20 times more toxic than the "black widow".
Interestingly, in the Guinness book, this is the world's most venomous creature among spiders. It is also noted that more deaths occurred through his fault than from other arthropods.
Eighth place - fugu
Of the vertebrates, this is the most venomous creature in the world. Many people know it as a ball fish. The entire surface of the fish is considered poisonous, and some organs of the fugu are also dangerous. A set of toxins causes paralysis and suffocation in the affected person, which in turn leads to death from insufficient oxygen. Despite this, in Korea and Japan, this fish is a first-class delicacy. Given its dangerous composition, only those professionals who have received a special license can prepare a fugu.
Ninth place - cone snail
Some, seeing this marble snail, do not understand that it belongs to dangerous creatures, since its appearance is very attractive. But you can't judge by her appearance, because she is just as dangerous as the rest of the representatives of this list. Just one drop of poison can kill 20 people. After the snail stings, the victim begins to experience excruciating pain, then numbness sets in and the bite site becomes inflamed. The next stage is paralysis and suffocation. There is no cure for such poisoning.
But if you look at the statistics, only 30 deaths were recorded due to the fault of this snail.
Tenth place - stone fish
This unsightly creature takes the last place in the rating "the most poisonous creature in the world." The bite of this underwater dweller provokes the most acute pain known to man. The sensations are so strong that, in search of relief, the victim is ready to commit suicide or amputation of the bitten site. Such pain causes shock, then paralysis inevitably sets in, and the tissues at the site of the lesion begin to die off, without medical assistance a person faces death.
This dangerous "beast" is found in the waters of the Red Sea and in the tropical regions of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
