Cyanide, second post

Cyanide Toxicity or Cyanide poisoning has been seen throughout history. It was first used in WWI as a chemical weapon in the form of gaseous HCN. The French military was known to use HCN but experienced no success due to the high volatility of cyanide. The French then started using cyanogen chloride which was successful due to the fact that it was much more toxic and less volatile. During WWII the British and American secret services developed cyanide pills that could be easily swallowed in order to commit suicide to prevent torture and extraction of important information. These pills were well known to be used by Nazis throughout the war. Most important Nazi representatives such as Adolf Hitler, Erwin Rommel, Heinrich Himmler, and Hermann Goring used cyanide pills when they were on the verge of being captured.

Cyanide exposure can also be unintentional. Cyanide is found throughout the environment. Therefore, an individual can be exposed to cyanide without being aware. One can be exposed to cyanide by just breathing air, drinking water, eating foods, smoking cigarettes, or touching soil that contains cyanide.

So how does cyanide actually kill someone? Cyanide exposure most often occurs through inhalation or ingestion. Once Absorbed cyanide enters the blood stream and is rapidly distributed to all of the tissues and organs in the body. Inside cells, cyanide attaches itself to ubiquitous metalloenzymes causing them to be inactive. In hindsight, toxicity is a result of the inactivation of cytochrome oxidase, which leads to the uncoupling of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and inhibitions of cellular respiration.  Due to the fact that the tissues in the brain and heart have high oxygen requirements, they can be affected by even acute cyanide exposure.

When an individual has been exposed to cyanide, several factors must be analyzed. Depending on the mode of exposure and how much cyanide they were exposed to, an individual can either die within seconds or they can be saved with proper health care. If an individual is suspected of cyanide toxicity, there are certain antidotes that can be administered intravenously to counteract the physiological damage cyanide is doing. Most survivors often experience complications such as heart, brain, and nerve damage.

Links: https://www.health.ny.gov/environmental/emergency/chemical_terrorism/cyanide_general.htm

https://www.thoughtco.com/overview-of-cyanide-poison-609287

https://www.emedicinehealth.com/cyanide_poisoning/page2_em.htm