Undetectable Poisons

Mechanism: Blocks nerve signals to muscles, causing paralysis.
Lethal Dose: 1-2 ng/kg.
Symptoms: Muscle weakness, respiratory failure.
Time to Kill: 24-72 hours.
Autopsy Detectability: Rarely detected—leaves minimal traces as it degrades quickly.

Mechanism: Blocks acetylcholine receptors, causing amnesia and respiratory failure.
Lethal Dose: ~50 mg.
Symptoms: Confusion, hallucinations, respiratory arrest.
Time to Kill: Hours to days.
Autopsy Detectability: Often undetected—metabolizes quickly and mimics natural death causes.

Mechanism: Depresses the central nervous system, causing respiratory arrest.
Lethal Dose: ~50-70 mg/kg.
Symptoms: Loss of consciousness, respiratory failure.
Time to Kill: Minutes to hours.
Autopsy Detectability: Rarely detected—evaporates quickly after death.

Mechanism: Blocks sodium channels, causing paralysis.
Lethal Dose: ~1-2 mg.
Symptoms: Paralysis, respiratory arrest.
Time to Kill: 20 minutes to 8 hours.
Autopsy Detectability: Challenging—leaves minimal chemical traces and symptoms resemble natural causes of death.

Mechanism: Blocks cellular respiration, preventing oxygen use.
Lethal Dose: ~200 mg potassium cyanide or ~50 mg hydrogen cyanide.
Symptoms: Seizures, cardiac arrest.
Time to Kill: 1-15 minutes.
Autopsy Detectability: Hard to detect—rapid metabolism into thiocyanate; scent of bitter almonds is unreliable.

Mechanism: Disrupts sodium channels, causing heart arrhythmias and respiratory failure.
Lethal Dose: ~1-2 mg.
Symptoms: Tingling, vomiting, cardiac arrest.
Time to Kill: 30 minutes to hours.
Autopsy Detectability: Difficult—decomposes quickly and can mimic a natural heart attack.

Mechanism: Inhibits acetylcholinesterase, causing muscle spasms and respiratory failure.
Lethal Dose: ~0.01 mg/kg.
Symptoms: Convulsions, respiratory arrest.
Time to Kill: 1-10 minutes.
Autopsy Detectability: Rarely detected—degrades quickly and mimics natural causes such as seizures.

Mechanism: Emits alpha radiation, causing organ damage and cancer.
Lethal Dose: ~1 microgram.
Symptoms: Nausea, organ failure, hair loss.
Time to Kill: Days to weeks.
Autopsy Detectability: Difficult unless specifically tested with radiological equipment.

Mechanism: Ricin inhibits protein synthesis within cells by inactivating the ribosomes, leading to cell death. This disruption of cellular function ultimately blocks cellular respiration and prevents the use of oxygen, resulting in organ failure.
Lethal Dose: The estimated lethal dose of ricin is approximately 1-3 mg per kilogram of body weight, which means that for an average adult, as little as 20-30 mg could be fatal, depending on the route of exposure.
Symptoms: Symptoms of ricin poisoning can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, dehydration, decreased blood pressure, and organ failure. Severe cases can lead to seizures and cardiac arrest.
Time to Kill: The onset of symptoms can occur within hours after exposure, with severe effects potentially leading to death within 36-72 hours, depending on the dose and route of exposure.
Autopsy Detectability: Detecting ricin during an autopsy can be challenging. While specific tests can identify ricin in biological samples, it may not always be present in detectable amounts due to rapid metabolism and clearance from the body. Additionally, there are no characteristic odors associated with ricin, making it difficult to identify based solely on sensory cues.