Arsenic

  Todays post is a fact file on the cheery substance that is arsenic.

Name: Arsenic, most commonly used in the compound Arsenic Trioxide or White Arsenic

Formula: As for arsenic, As2O3 for white arsenic. 

Effect on the Victim: Usually absorbed by mouth, the digestive system is where arsenic is at its most deadly however toxic effects can also be observed when inhaled or absorbed through skin. Arsenic poisoning usually involves digestive problems and the body desperately trying to get rid of the poison. This involves acute abdominal pains, vomiting and usually bloody diarrhea. It may also cause cardiovascular problems, liver damage and convulsions. Arsenic is an enzyme inhibitor and which causes death through organ failure, and also a possible narcotic as it has been theorised it has a narcotic effect on the cells it kills as they do not have enough energy to kill themselves (through apoptosis), 

Lethal dose: Arsenic has an extremely small lethal dose of as little as 0.15gm for a 73Kg healthy male adult. 

Diagnosis: Arsenic only requires an extremely small dose to prove fatal, is relatively is easy to acquire (white arsenic is still used in some fertilisers) and when mixed into food or drink (especially alcohol) is almost impossible to taste, see or smell. It is for these reasons that Arsenic has been one of the most popular homicidal poisons over the ages (famously by the 15th century political assassins Cesare and Lucretia Borgia). Fortunately despite the method of death resembling many natural causes it is relatively easy to detect Arsenic poisoning in a corpse. The first factor which should alert you to Arsenic poisoning is 'arsenic mummification'. Arsenic creates unusually well preserved corpses. Many arsenic victim's corpses do not decompose for months after burial (with the exception of mould growth which is unaffected). Upon dissecting the corpse the bloody work of arsenic is quickly apparent. Death by arsenic destroys the stomach, covering it in bloody lesions and the membrane lining will be extremely swollen and off-yellow with scarlet patches. The actual white arsenic is easily observable under a microscope as the tissue where it builds up (mainly the stomach but almost everywhere else in the body, especially in larger than necessary doses) will sparkle due to the tiny crystals.

That's all the information needed to diagnose an arsenic death.  If you want to deduce it without the need for operation Sherlock style the key points to look for are:

 1. Had the victim or patient been drinking or eating just before they died.

 2. Did they seem to die from a severe digestive problem (lots of vomiting and diarrhea)

 3. How well is the corpse preserved?

Here's a practice case:

  Six New York office workers have been found dead. They had collapsed on the floors of their offices at around 14:30. They convulsed and vomited until death. All six of the office workers had had lunch at the same place and all six had had the same dessert. The victims corpses have been eerily well preserved. Autopsy has revealed severe damage to the stomach and sparkling tissue.

Okay well this is an easy one. By the time you hear that all six have eaten the same thing and collapsed vomiting shortly afterwards you can guess it's arsenic. The mummification and sparkling tissue as well as stomach damage confirm this. Bonus points to anyone who deduced that the arsenic must have been added to a specific dough and therefore was not a mistake as only six people died and only one type of food from the restaurant linked them. 

Thanks for reading, I'll get the next post up soon. Feel free to comment with any suggestions!