Cyanide Poisoning
A.  VOGEL  AND  DON   E.   BLOODGOOD
Graduate Assistant and Professor of Sanitary Engineering
Purdue University
Lafayette, Ind.
CYANIDE   POISONING  IN   HISTORY
The modern word poison has been used extensively and rather
promiscuously throughout history. The exact meaning is generally not
thoroughly understood. In addition to the word poison, the word
"toxic" has also been extensively used. The prefix "tox" of the modern
word "toxicology" can be traced back to a very ancient word1 mean¬
ing "bow" or "arrow", or, in its broadest sense, "some tool used
for slaying". The cyanides are one of the better known poisons or
toxic substances.
The Egyptians knew of prussic (hydrocyanic) acid, they extracted
it in a dilute state from certain plants, among the chief of which was
the peach. On a papyrus preserved at the Louvre, M. Duteil read,
"Pronounce not the name of I.A.O., under the penalty of the peach!"
This has been interpreted to mean that those who revealed the religious
mysteries of the priests were put to death by waters distilled from the
peach, though there is some doubt in the minds of historians who claim
that distillation is a modern invention. It is believed that the Egyptians
passed the knowledge of the deadly drink on to the Romans, for in the
reign of Tiberius, a Roman knight, accused of high treason, swallowed
a poison and fell dead at the feet of the senators. This quick action
is much like that of the fatal hydrocyanic acid in a concentrated form.
Hydrocyanic acid was once the favorite means of self-destruction
employed by photographers, chemists, medical men and others in positions
where this poison is at hand. There have been a considerable number
of deaths due to accidents or unfortunate mistakes and a smaller number
of deaths due to the immoderate or improper use of cyanide-containing
vegetable products. The illustrious chemist Scheele, discoverer of hydro¬
cyanic acid, died from inhalation of the vapor released when he broke
a laboratory flask.
The attention of public health authorities has been attracted be¬
cause of the difficulties and complaints arising from accidental poison¬
ing by cyanides used in metal plating and in fumigation.   Some of the
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