Various poisons. The fastest-acting deadly poisons for humans - pharmaceutical, household

There are a sufficient number of natural and artificially produced poisons in the world. The effects of all toxic substances are 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 be fatal.

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, they poisoned the enemy with cyanide, spraying poison that instantly killed soldiers, getting on the mucous membranes and affecting the respiratory system. Currently, cyanide is used in analytical chemistry, in the mining of gold and silver, 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 can easily be classified as an instant poison. Entering the human body through gastrointestinal tract, death occurs instantly, only 1.7 mg per 1 kg of weight is enough. Potassium cyanide prevents oxygen from entering tissues and cells, resulting in death from oxygen starvation. Antidotes for this poison are compounds containing hydrocarbons, sulfur and ammonia. Glucose is considered the strongest anticyanide, so in case of poisoning, its solution is administered intravenously to the victim.

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 have no odor. Mercury affects 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 harmful for the population when mercury compounds enter a body of water. IN aquatic environment the metal is converted into methylmercury, and then this powerful organic poison accumulates in the organisms of the inhabitants of the reservoir. If people use this water for domestic needs and engage in fishing in such places, this is fraught with mass poisoning. Regular inhalation of mercury vapor is a slow-acting poison. Toxins accumulate in the body, which leads to nervous disorders, up to the onset of schizophrenia or complete insanity.

Exposure of a pregnant woman to mercury can lead to irreversible consequences, as it spreads quickly through the blood and easily penetrates the placenta. Even seemingly harmless broken thermometer, which contains a small amount of this potent toxic substance, can provoke the development of defects in a child inside the womb.

Sarin

The extremely poisonous sarin gas, 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 civil wars, after which both the USA and the USSR began to produce sarin and stockpile it in case of war. Following an experimental incident that resulted in death, production of this poison was discontinued. Nevertheless, Japanese terrorists managed to obtain this poison in the mid-nineties - the terrorist attack on the Tokyo subway, during which about 6,000 people were poisoned with sarin, received wide attention.

Sarin affects the body both through the skin and through the respiratory system, affecting the nervous system. Severe intoxication is observed due to ingestion of this substance by inhalation. This nerve gas kills a person quickly, but at the same time causes 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 strong pain behind the sternum, and final stage- This is death from suffocation.

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Getting this poison inside large quantities ends in death. It is a white fine powder, which can be purchased even at a pharmacy, only with a prescription. With constant poisoning in small doses, arsenic can provoke the appearance of diseases such as cancer and diabetes. This poison is often used in dentistry - arsenic is used to destroy the inflamed dental nerve.

Formaldehyde and phenols

With these household poisons Literally everyone has encountered dangers for humans.

Phenols are contained in varnishes and paints, without which no cosmetic repair can be done. Formaldehyde can be found in plastics, fiberboard and chipboard.

With prolonged inhalation of these potent toxic substances, breathing is impaired, and various kinds allergic reactions, dizziness and nausea. Constant contact with these poisons can result in malfunctions of the reproductive system, and with severe intoxication, a person can die from swelling of the larynx.

Poisons of plant and animal origin

Amatoxin

Amatoxin is a poison that affects the gastrointestinal tract. The source of poisoning is some types of mushrooms, for example, pale and white grebe. 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 poison. In case of poisoning, severe vomiting, pain in the stomach and intestines, and continuous bloody diarrhea are observed. On the second day, the victim’s liver enlarges and the kidneys fail, followed by coma and death.

A positive prognosis is observed with timely treatment. Despite the fact that amatoxin, like all slow-acting poisons, causes irreparable harm gradually, there have also been lightning deaths, mainly among children.

Batrachotoxin is a powerful poison that belongs to the alkaloid family. It is almost impossible to meet him in everyday life. It is secreted through the glands of leaf frogs. This substance, like other instant-acting poisons, instantly affects the nervous system, causes heart failure and leads to death.

Ricin

This plant poison is six times more toxic than the instant killer cyanide. One pinch is enough to kill an adult.

Ricin was actively used as a weapon in war; with its help, intelligence services got rid of individuals posing a threat to the state. They found out about it quite quickly, since lethal doses of this potent substance were deliberately sent to recipients along with letters.

Bacillus anthrax

This is the causative agent of an infectious disease that poses a huge 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 most often occurs through damaged areas of the skin, and less often through the respiratory tract.

With the pulmonary form of infection, the prognosis is unfavorable and mortality rates reach 95%. Most often, the bacillus is localized in certain areas of the skin, so anthrax is one of the most dangerous contact poisons, fatal to humans. With adequate and timely treatment, a person is on the path to recovery. The infection can affect the intestines and affect internal organs, leading to sepsis. Another severe form, which 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 in 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– these are only the hard-to-reach poisons listed above. Any chemical in large quantities can be a deadly poison for humans in everyday life. This includes chlorine, which is used for disinfection, and various detergents, and even vinegar essence. Fear toxic substances, taking precautions when handling them and hiding them from children is the strict responsibility of every conscious adult.

Poison of any origin, chemical, food or natural, has always been a subject of interest from the media mass media, chemical safety and popular writers. Humanity knows hundreds of deadly poisons, many of which have been practically used as a means of murder, genocide and acts of terrorism. Some of them are presented in our review.

The well-known cyanide is a deadly poison that affects the central nervous system and the heart. Even a small dose, entering the blood, binds iron molecules and blocks the supply of oxygen to vital organs, resulting in death in a matter of minutes. Exist different shapes cyanide, such as hydrogen cyanide, which is considered the most poisonous. This gas kills a person in about 10 minutes. The gas was used during World War I as a chemical weapon and was banned by the Geneva Convention. Today, cyanide is used as a means of murder, suicide and in the plots of books.

This is the protagonist of the events of September 2011, when reports that people received anthrax spores in envelopes appeared in the news almost every day. As a result, five people died and 17 were injured from exposure to the poison, which caused panic among US citizens. This fear is understandable, since anthrax spores are easily transmitted by air. After infection, the respiratory system becomes numb and the person begins to suffocate. Out of 10 people, 9 die within a week of infection.

Sarin is considered as a means massacres, which causes death by asphyxia after 60 seconds. A minute of terrible torment and the person dies. Since 1993, this substance has been banned from production, but despite this, in 1995 there was a massive terrorist attack on the subway in Japan, as well as in Iraq and Syria, resulting in the death of 330 to 1,800 people.

Amatoxin is a substance found in the most deadly mushrooms in the world. When it enters the bloodstream, it affects the cells of the kidneys and liver, resulting in organ failure within a few days. Amatoxin also affects the heart. If a large dose of penicillin is not administered, the person may fall into a coma or die from heart and liver failure.

Strychnine has been used as a pesticide to kill pests, but it can also kill humans. It was discovered in Asia, contained in special varieties of trees, but it can also be obtained in the laboratory (the one who managed to do this received Nobel Prize). Strychnine can enter the body in different ways: injection, inhalation and absorption. After entering the body, muscle convulsions and spasms begin, leading to asphyxia. After the injection, the person dies within half an hour.

Back in school, everyone was warned to be careful with the thermometer. And this is not just like that, but because of a heavy metal called mercury. It is an incredibly toxic metal that enters the body either through inhalation or through skin contact. If mercury comes into contact with the skin, it causes itching, burning, and the skin may even peel off. Mercury can cause memory loss, vision loss, kidney failure and brain cell destruction. The result is death.

A notorious poison found in fugu fish, popular among sushi connoisseurs who are willing to pay a hefty price in the hope that the fish is cooked correctly. The first symptoms appear 30 minutes after eating poisonous fish. At first, the person feels his mouth paralyzed and it becomes difficult to swallow. Soon there is a violation of coordination of movements and speech. Seizures and convulsions begin, as a result the person may fall into a coma and die. Death occurs after about 6 hours, but cases of death have been known after 17 minutes. This poison is considered one of the deadliest on earth.

Ricin is another poison that has become popular, like anthrax, due to being sent through the mail. Actress who starred in the film “ Walking Dead”, was convicted of precisely this crime. Ricin has been found in castor bean seeds. Ricin is an incredibly deadly poison; it binds to proteins in the body, causing death. It was considered a chemical weapon by the US military and members of al-Qaeda.

The most dangerous nerve gas on the planet, formerly a pesticide, has become an excellent target for militaries around the world, despite the ban on the use of weapons mass destruction. Gas has no other use except during war. The gas is so poisonous that one drop of it on the skin can kill a person. When inhaled, the first symptoms of poisoning are similar to the onset of the flu, then paralysis of the respiratory system occurs, which leads to death.

This is the deadliest poison on Earth. A cup of the toxin could kill hundreds of thousands of people by causing the disease botulism, a disease that affects the central nervous system. Surprisingly, this poison has important practical applications - from Botox injection procedures to the treatment of migraines. It is known that some patients have died after procedures using botulinum toxin. Of those affected by this poison, 50% die without receiving medical care, and those who survive suffer serious complications for many years. Due to its instability and easy availability in nature, botulinum toxin is the deadliest poison in the world. However, the cosmetic industry often uses

Top 10 most common poisons, according to the site

1

Death occurs as a result of the cessation of connection with oxygen of red blood cells, and “asphyxia inside” occurs. This poison was common among scouts and spies, because it allowed one capsule to stop torture; it was usually sewn into the collar of a shirt so that it could be reached with tied hands. Known fact that Elder Rasputin was poisoned with several lethal doses of cyanide, but did not die, but was drowned.

2

One of the most popular forms of poisoning in the early twentieth century, strychnine affects the central nervous system and causes reflex reactions. With the right dose, the victim dies within 10-20 minutes - in agony and death throes. Strychnine became a favorite means of murder in Agatha Christie's books. Now such poison can only be found in fiction.

3

Historically, arsenic has been the most common poison, and it has always been the most favored killing agent used in secret murders. In Great Britain it was distributed as a poison, which was freely sold in pharmacies for rodent control. Traces of arsenic are present in all human tissues. When used as a poison, symptoms include severe stomach pain, vomiting and bloody diarrhea.

4 Snake venom

The toxicity of a bite depends on many factors, when the snake delivered its venom, the duration of the bite, and the number of bites. The most poisonous snakes are vipers and cobras. After the bite poisonous snake swelling, vomiting, bleeding from the eyes, nose, and gums occur, as well as obvious pain at the site of the poisonous snake bite. Interestingly, white men make up more than three-quarters of snakebite victims.

Hemlock (omeg) is a biennial herbaceous, almost glabrous plant with a bluish reddish-spotted stem and large leaves, triangular in outline, three- and four-times dissected into ovoid or oval lobules. The flowers are small, white in complex umbels. The fruit is small, oval, softly splits into two laterally compressed half-fruits, usually gray with lighter ribs. Poisonous. Hemlock fruits, when crushed in the hand, emit an unpleasant mouse smell. The plant contains a large number of poisonous alkaloids: coniine, methylkoniine, coniceine, conhydrin, pseudoconhydrin. The fruits are the most poisonous; the amount of alkaloids in them reaches 1%.

6

Heroin - diacetylmorphine, a 3,6-diacetyl derivative of morphine, or diamorphine (according to BAN: diamorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid drug, originally synthesized at the beginning of the 20th century as a medicine. Heroin is a substance with the chemical formula C21H23NO5, most commonly used as the base or diacetylmorphine hydrochloride. A poison that works on the respiratory system, Heroin depresses the central nervous system creating a feeling of euphoria.

7

The toxic substance is tetraodontoxin found in her ovaries. This poison is not destroyed by cooking, although experts say if the innards are removed before cooking, the fish is generally harmless. Used in Japanese cuisine Pufferfish may only be prepared by trained and specially trained and licensed chefs. Despite this, from 1955 through 1975 there were more than 1,500 deaths caused by improper preparation of pufferfish.

8

approximately half an inch in length, the fiddleback or brown recluse is one of the most poisonous spiders in the world. The bite is usually painless, but after eight hours, the victim will be in agony; death is now rare, thanks to advances in medicine. Symptoms, vomiting, blisters, delirium and necrosis - this spider is best avoided.

9 Belladonna (belladonna)

The name of this plant is a strange combination of the words “death” and “beauty”... The belladonna received its generic name (Atropa) from the name greek goddess death, the eldest of the three Parks (moira) - goddesses of fate. According to legend, a Parka named Klofo held a spindle and a thread of fate in her hands, while another, Lahezsh, took a ball from an urn to draw everything that would happen in a person’s life. Atropa mercilessly cut the thread of life with scissors. Atropa was usually depicted with cypress branches - the “tree of graves” - on her head... The belladonna received such an ominous name, most likely, because of its very high toxicity.

There are many poisons in the world of different nature. Some of them act almost instantly, others can torment the victim of poisoning for years, slowly destroying him 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 for maintaining life. A striking example of such duality are vitamins - even a slight excess of their concentration can completely destroy health or kill on the spot. Here we propose to take a look at 10 substances that are classified as pure poisons, and are among the most dangerous and fast-acting.

(Total 10 photos)

Cyanides are a fairly large group of hydrocyanic acid salts. They are all, like the acid itself, extremely poisonous. In the last century and 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 200-300 mg of this white powder, which resembles granulated sugar in appearance, is enough to kill an adult in just a few seconds. Thanks to such a small dosage and incredibly quick death, Adolf Hitler, Joseph Goebbels, Hermann Goering and other Nazis chose this poison to die.

They tried to poison Grigory Rasputin with this poison. True, the poisoners 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 the gun.

2. Bacillus anthrax

Anthrax is a very severe, rapidly developing disease caused by the bacteria Bacillus anthracis. There are several forms of anthrax. The most “harmless” one is the skin one. Even without treatment, the mortality rate from this form does not exceed 20%. The intestinal form kills about half of those sick, but the pulmonary form is almost certain death. Even with the help of the latest treatment methods, modern doctors manage to save no more than 5% of patients.

Sarin was created by German scientists trying to synthesize a powerful pesticide. But this deadly poison, which causes quick but very painful death, acquired its dark fame not in agricultural fields, but as a chemical weapon. Sarin was produced by the ton for military purposes for decades, and it was only in 1993 that its production was banned. But, despite calls for the complete destruction of all reserves of this substance, both terrorists and the military still use it in our time.

4. Amatoxins

Amatoxins are a whole group of protein poisons contained in poisonous mushrooms of the Amanitaceae family, including in the deadly pale grebe. The particular danger of these poisons lies in their “slowness”. Once they enter the human body, they immediately begin their destructive activity, but the victim begins to feel the first discomfort no earlier than 10 hours later, and sometimes several days later, 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 dysfunctions of the liver, kidneys and lungs.

5. Strychnine

Strychnine is found in large quantities in nuts 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 medicine that increases metabolic processes, improves heart function and treats paralysis. It was even actively used as an antidote for barbiturate poisoning.

However, this is one of the most strong 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 agony and severe convulsions.

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

When small amounts of mercury enter the body, the process of poisoning occurs gradually, but inevitably, since this poison is not eliminated, 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 with mercury vapor, expressed in behavioral disorders up to complete insanity, was at that time called “the old hatter’s disease.”

7. Tetrodotoxin

This extremely strong poison is found in the liver, milk and caviar of the famous puffer fish, as well as in the skin and caviar of some species of tropical frogs, octopuses, crabs and in the caviar of the Californian newt. Europeans first became acquainted with the effects of this poison in 1774, when the crew on James Cook's ship ate an unknown tropical fish, and the slops from the dinner were given to the ship's pigs. By morning, all the people were seriously ill, and the pigs died.

Tetrodotoxin poisoning is very serious, and even today doctors manage to save less than half of all those poisoned.

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 lethal doses for humans. Lovers of this treat literally 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 feasting on a delicious dish.

Ricin is an extremely powerful poison of plant origin. Great danger represents the inhalation of its smallest grains. Ricin is about 6 times more powerful poison than potassium cyanide, but it was not used as a weapon of mass destruction due to purely technical difficulties. But various intelligence services and terrorists are very fond of this substance. Politicians and public figures with enviable regularity they receive letters stuffed with ricin. True, the case quite rarely ends in death, since the penetration of ricin through the lungs is quite low in efficiency. For a 100% result, ricin must be injected directly into the blood.

9. Vi-Ex (VX)

VX, or, as it is also called, VI gas, belongs to the category of chemical warfare gases that have a nerve-paralytic effect. It was also 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 one minute after inhalation or contact with the skin, and death occurs within 10-15 minutes.

10. Botulism toxin

Botulinum toxin is produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, which is the causative agent the most dangerous disease- botulism. This is the most powerful poison of organic nature and one of the strongest poisons in the world. In the last century, botulinum toxin was part of the arsenals of chemical weapons, but at the same time, active research was conducted regarding its use in medicine. And today a huge number of people who want to at least temporarily restore the smoothness of their skin are experiencing the influence of this terrible poison, which is part of the most popular medicinal product"Botox", which once again confirms the truth famous saying the great Paracelsus: “Everything is poison, everything is medicine; both are determined by the dose.”

Excerpts from the book "Claws of Invisibility" by Alexei Gorbylev

“Our destiny is to be invisible, we are knights of the order of invisible deeds, we are a caste of ghosts standing above mere mortals,” these are the words the famous Soviet writer Roman Nikolaevich Kim puts into the mouth of a ninjutsu teacher in his story about ninjas “Ghost School.” Reading these lines, I immediately remember poisons - the most insidious, invisible weapon. Here is a man reading a book, admiring the sunset, basking in the sun's rays, feasting with friends... And suddenly he begins to shake, faints and dies a few minutes later. Yes, poison is a serious thing!
Ninjas, the invisible killers of medieval Japan, were well versed in poisons and knew how and when to use them. Of course, science has come a long way since then. But, despite the fact that the “night demons” did not know the sophisticated synthetic poisons of our days, they
the arsenal was no less effective and terrifying.
Ninjas had many requirements for the quality of poison. They needed poisons that killed instantly, and poisons that killed the victim after many days, so that the shadow of suspicion would not fall on the spy, and he would have time to get out of enemy territory. They needed poisons for which there were no antidotes, poisons whose effects were not similar to those of poison. There is no doubt that over many centuries of searching, the “night demons” were able to find both. We will probably never be able to know how many prominent politicians and the commanders were killed by invisible poisoners in such a way that their death did not arouse suspicion in anyone.

DEADLY POISONS (ANSATSUYAKU)
The deadly poisons described in the ninjutsu manuals are divided into four categories:
1. slow-acting poisons mixed into food;
2. poisons that kill after a short period of time, mixed into food;
3. instant poisons mixed into food;
4. poisons that kill when they enter the blood.
1. Slow-acting poisons
Typical example- a poison that was extracted from premium green tea with the poetic name “Gyokuro” - “Jasper dew”. Thanks to your unique properties he was very popular among the “night demons.” Gyokuro tea was brewed very strongly, poured into a bamboo container, tightly closed in it and buried for thirty to forty days under the veranda of the house to rot. The resulting liquid black gruel had to be mixed into the victim’s food for several days, 2-3 drops per day. As a result, the average healthy person became seriously ill on the 30th day, and by the 70th day he was sent to the next world. A person weakened by illness gave his soul to God much earlier. So much so that later not a single doctor could determine that the patient’s death
caused by poisoning. Of course, over time, the secret of the gyo-kuro poison was unraveled by doctors, and even a special medical term “shukucha no doku” appeared - “poisoning with tea infused at night.”
American journalists Al Weiss and Tom Philbin tell a legend about how one ninja, who settled under the guise of an ordinary resident in an enemy city, slowly but surely poisoned the local “mayor” with gyokuro poison for several months. At the same time, he himself drank the same green tea, to which he added poison, like the mayor, and thus averted suspicions that could creep into the soul of the enemy. But... after every tea party he took an antidote. As a result, the “mayor” died, as it seemed to everyone, a natural death, and no one suspected a spy. Al Weiss and Tom Philbin also suggest that ninjas used bamboo, which grows in abundance in Japan, as poison, although this is not specifically mentioned in the literature. As National Geographic magazine wrote, “The stems of many types of bamboo have a skin covered with fluffy, fine hairs. Be careful not to touch them. They penetrate the skin and cause severe irritation.” Indeed, these hairs are the perfect poison. “Bacteria on hairs can even cause blood poisoning. “I read,” the author continues, “that in ancient times hairs from the skin were mixed into food to send the enemy to the next world.”

2. Poisons that kill after a short period of time
Poisons of this effect were made from mineral, plant or animal raw materials. An example of poisons of the first kind is copper oxide (green; green coating formed on copper as a result of oxidation) and rat poison (arsenic).
Plant poisons were extracted from plants such as lycoris (higambana; Fig. 231), caustic buttercup (kimpoge, umanoashigata; Fig. 232), etc.

As for poisons extracted from animals, the ninjas preferred the poison obtained from the hammyo sand beetle (Fig. 233).
3. Instant poisons
The ninja poetically called such poisons “zagarashi-yaku” - “poisons that dry out right on the spot.” The most popular version of this poison was made from the seeds of green plums and green peach, which were taken in equal proportions. In order to obtain poison, the bones were boiled for a long time (always together). This poison was secretly mixed into the victim's food or sprayed into the air in the form of tiny dust so that it entered the respiratory tract. In the latter case, in a matter of seconds one could be sent to the next world with
a dozen enemies crammed into a small Japanese room.
In the Bansenshukai there is a paragraph called “Hoken-jutsu” - “Technique of meeting a dog”, which explains the technique of poisoning man’s four-legged friend: “When entering a house in which there is a dog, two to three days [before operations] need to be mixed with yakimeshi rice (toasted boiled rice)[poison] matin [in proportion] 1 pound (1 pound = 0.375 g) per 1 kolobok and place several koloboks in the place where the dog may appear.”

The poison matin mentioned in the Bansenshukai is nothing more than strychnine. Strychnine is an extremely dangerous deadly poison. To kill a person, only 0.98 milligrams of this substance is enough. When it enters the body with food, it causes
characteristic convulsions when the victim seems to lean back. The poisoned person experiences terrible pain and dies of paralysis after a while. respiratory system.
Strychnine is an alkaloid. It was extracted from dried seeds tropical plants from the genus strychnos (chilibuha), containing up to 3% poisonous alkaloids (Fig. 234).
In Japan, strychnine was widely used during the Edo period as an ingredient in rat poison. It came to Europe only in the 16th century, but its production was strictly prohibited due to the increasing incidence of poisoning.
4. Poisons that kill when they enter the blood
It was with these poisons that ninjas smeared their “death stars”, shurikens, arrowheads, and fukibari arrows. When they entered the bloodstream, they caused almost instantaneous paralysis of the respiratory system and heart, leading to the death of a person. Such poison was obtained from the juice of the torikabuto plant (Japanese wrestler; Fig. 235). Torika-butoh poison is believed to have been invented by the ancient Ainu people of Japan.
(edzo), who treated the tips of their arrows with it and with their help felled bears.

In the absence of torikabuto poison, the victim could be sent to the next world using a shuriken smeared with horse manure. Horse manure contains many pathogenic bacteria that cause erysipelas (erysipelas), often leading to the death of the patient. It’s interesting that they were able to get acquainted with this poison, as they say, “first hand” American soldiers during vietnam war: The Vietnamese, like the ninjas, dipped their knives and bayonets in horse dung and blood.
In addition to deadly poisons, ninjas knew recipes for sleeping potions, drugs that caused paralysis, insanity, and inappropriate reactions.

SLEEPING DRUGS (NARCOTICS) (MASUYAKU)
The instructions for ninjutsu contain recipes for three poisons of this kind.
The first remedy has already been described in Chapter 2 in the section “Poisonous Agents”. It was made from the blood of the red-bellied newt-imori, the blood of the Japanese mole-moger, the blood of a snake and some secret drug, the composition of which has not yet been clarified by researchers. This mixture was soaked into paper, which was twisted into paper twine, set on fire and thrown to the enemy. It was also possible
quietly throw a piece of paper into the brazier in the guardhouse or into the fire at the enemy’s bivouac. Having inhaled the poisonous soporific smoke, the enemy soon fell into a deep sleep.
Another sleeping drug was made from bat, aogiri tree leaves (firmiana, sterculia), scolopendra, sandalwood and paper tree kernels, clove tree, evergreen aquilaria tree, mercury and bovine dung. All this had to be crushed into powder, mixed (often small balls were molded from the resulting substance) and set on fire. Having swallowed the smoke of this terrible mixture, people soon fell into a deep sleep.

The recipe for the third sleeping agent, described in the secret instructions of the ninja, was as follows. The hemp leaves had to be dried in the shade and ground into flour. Then the flour was boiled. The resulting broth was mixed with weak tea, which was eventually given to the chosen victim. From one sip a person fell asleep, from 2-3 - he fell into a sleep that was accompanied by fever. If a person was forced
drinking the drug for several days in a row, he simply went crazy.

POISONS CAUSING PARALYSIS (SIBIREYAKU)
The texts describe two poisons of this effect that should be mixed into food. The first ninja poison was obtained from a liquid that
extracted from growths above the eyes of the giant Japanese toad hikigaeru (bufo marinus), considered the largest toad in the world (Fig. 236): the length of its body, not counting the length of its legs, is 22.5 cm! This liquid is so toxic that even if you touch it with your finger, your finger immediately begins to go numb.

Hikigaeru poison causes high pressure, headache and paralysis. Its effects resemble those of taking too much heart medication. To extract the poison, the toad is skewered and roasted. Blisters form on the toad's skin and poison leaks out of the glands. It is collected in a container and allowed to ferment. The second paralysis-causing poison was extracted from the liver of the poisonous puffer fish (Fig. 237). Puffer fish are often called "exploding" or "puffing" fish because they puff up when they get angry or when they are looking for food. Despite the fact that almost all Japanese know about the poisonousness of fugu, every year in the Land of the Rising Sun dozens of people die from its hell. The fact is that fugu is considered a delicious delicacy, served in the most expensive and sophisticated restaurants. The top-class chefs who work there are able not only to prepare fugu for food, but also to remove its hell, which is certified by the state
license. But it's not that simple. Fugu's venom, which chemists call "tetradoxin," retains its properties even when the fish is cooked, and only a tiny amount, 8 to 10 milligrams, is required to be fatal. In addition, hell can be found in any organ of the fish.

The result is multiple deaths caused by eating fugu. In one of the post-war years, 250 accidental poisonings of this kind were recorded. Moreover, more than half of the victims died. Poisoning most often occurs in winter, when fugu fish is the most delicious and at the same time the most poisonous.
To destroy the enemy, it was not at all necessary to extract hell from the fugu. It was enough, under the guise of a cook, to slip a “tasty” piece of undercooked fish onto the victim’s plate. That's all. The poison affected the respiratory center of the brain and paralyzed the respiratory muscles.

POISONS CAUSING TEMPORARY INTERFERENCE OF MIND (KYOKIYAKU)
In order to induce insanity in the victim, it was enough to crush the seeds of white dope (chosen asagao, mandarage; Fig. 238) into dust and mix them into the victim’s food.

A few hours after ingesting 5-10 seeds, a person either fell asleep or went crazy.

POISONS THAT ALLOW TO CAUSE A STATE OF ANXIETY, EXCITATION, INADQUATE REACTIONS IN THE VICTIM (SOJO-YAKU)
A poison that causes severe itching. This poison was extracted from the thorns of the kaikaigusa grass (a type of iracus - Tumberg's nettle; Fig. 239). Of them
made the finest powder, which they sprinkled underwear or the neck of the victim, who was then ready to tear his skin to shreds from the terrible itch.
Poison that causes causeless laughter
The poisonous hallucinogenic mushroom waraidake was used as such a remedy (Fig. 240). It was finely chopped and mixed into the food of the victim, who as a result began to roll on the floor, shaking with causeless laughter with a complete lack of self-control.
Al Weiss and Tom Philbin talk about one thing in their book strange case, which occurred when two princes were fighting for control of one of the provinces. One of them, in front of a large gathering of people, declared that he was a god and could strike with blindness anyone who stood in his way. The second prince responded to this statement with laughter. However, soon after lunch he began to go blind and announced to the whole world that his opponent was indeed a god. In fact, the creator of the “deity” was a ninja who poisoned the prince’s bath towel with a poison that caused temporary blindness.