Arsenic poisoning

Arsenic poisoning kills by massively disrupting the digestive system, leading to death from shock. Symptoms include violent stomach pains, vomiting and delirium.

Related Topics:
Digestive system - Shock

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Roger Smith, Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology Emeritus, Dartmouth Medical School, has stated that natural arsenic contamination of drinking water has been a problem in wells in Bangladesh and New Hampshire. The Bangladesh well poisoning is a particularly difficult problem: millions of people take their drinking water from wells that were drilled through arsenic-bearing rock layers. Chronic low level arsenic poisoning, or arsenicosis as in Bangladesh can result in the victim developing cancer.

Related Topics:
Professor - Pharmacology - Toxicology - Dartmouth Medical School - Arsenic - Contamination - Drinking water - Well - Bangladesh - New Hampshire - Arsenicosis - Cancer

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In the 700's, an Arab alchemist named Jabir became the first to prepare arsenic trioxide, a white, tasteless, odorless powder. Jabir's preparation seemed the ideal poison as it left no traceable, at the time, elements in the body. In addition to its use as a poison, arsenic was used medicinally for centuries and, in fact, was used extensively to treat syphilis before penicillin was introduced. Arsenic was replaced as a theraputic agent by sulfa drugs and then by antibiotics. Arsenic was also an ingredient in many tonics (or "patent medicines"). In addition, during the Victorian era, some women ate a mixture of vinegar, chalk, and arsenic to whiten their skin.

Related Topics:
Arab - Alchemist - Jabir - Arsenic trioxide - Poison - Syphilis - Penicillin - Antibiotics - Patent medicines - Victorian era - Women - Vinegar - Chalk

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