Poisons Undetected on autopsy

Botulinum Toxin

• 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.

2. Scopolamine (“Devil’s Breath”)

• 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.

3. Insulin Overdose

• Mechanism: Causes hypoglycemia, leading to seizures and death.
• Lethal Dose: Varies by individual.
• Symptoms: Dizziness, seizures, coma.
• Time to Kill: Minutes to hours.
• Autopsy Detectability: Difficult—low blood glucose levels may be attributed to natural causes, especially in diabetics.

4. Chloroform

• 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.

5. Tetrodotoxin (TTX)

• 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.

6. Cyanide

• 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.

7. Potassium Chloride

• Mechanism: Causes hyperkalemia, disrupting heart rhythm and causing cardiac arrest.
• Lethal Dose: ~100-120 mg/kg.
• Symptoms: Cardiac arrest, muscle weakness.
• Time to Kill: Minutes.
• Autopsy Detectability: Undetectable—potassium levels vary naturally, making it difficult to attribute death to poisoning.

8. GHB (Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate)

• Mechanism: CNS depressant, causing respiratory failure.
• Lethal Dose: 1-2 grams.
• Symptoms: Loss of consciousness, respiratory depression.
• Time to Kill: Minutes to hours.
• Autopsy Detectability: Undetectable after a few hours due to rapid metabolism.

9. Succinylcholine

• Mechanism: Induces paralysis by blocking neuromuscular transmission.
• Lethal Dose: ~1-2 mg/kg.
• Symptoms: Paralysis, respiratory failure.
• Time to Kill: Minutes.
• Autopsy Detectability: Extremely difficult—breaks down into natural metabolites (choline and succinic acid).

10. Aconitine

• 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.

11. Sarin (Nerve Agent)

• 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.

12. Epibatidine

• Mechanism: Activates nicotinic receptors, leading to respiratory paralysis.
• Lethal Dose: ~1-2 mg.
• Symptoms: Paralysis, respiratory failure.
• Time to Kill: Minutes to hours.
• Autopsy Detectability: Difficult—metabolizes rapidly with no distinct biomarkers.

13. Polonium-210

• 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.

14. Nitrogen Gas (Asphyxiant)

• Mechanism: Displaces oxygen, causing hypoxia.
• Lethal Dose: Varies—100% nitrogen for a few minutes is fatal.
• Symptoms: Dizziness, unconsciousness, death.
• Time to Kill: Minutes.
• Autopsy Detectability: Impossible—leaves no chemical trace.

15. Carbon Monoxide (CO)

• Mechanism: Binds to hemoglobin, preventing oxygen transport.
• Lethal Dose: ~1000 ppm exposure for several minutes.
• Symptoms: Headache, confusion, coma.
• Time to Kill: Minutes to hours.
• Autopsy Detectability: Can be missed if the cherry-red skin coloration fades post-mortem.