| For as long as there have been targets that needed | | | | hotheadedness have been observed as symptoms of |
| to be removed quietly, there have been poisoners. For | | | | lower dosages. Since arsenic was usually administered |
| centuries, poison has often been the favored tool for | | | | over time, the compounding symptoms often served |
| political assassinations in a number of societies. The | | | | to make it appear as if the person died of illness. The |
| Romans and Persians were both said to have had | | | | later, more obvious effects were also highly similar to |
| special children who were slowly fed increasing doses | | | | cholera, which earned it favor as the poison of choice |
| of a lethal poison. Eventually, the child would exhibit the | | | | for the ruling classes of Renaissance Italy. Notable |
| desired side effects of being immune to the poison | | | | victims of that time were several political enemies of |
| and being so saturated with it that even their sweat or | | | | the Borgia family and Francesco I de Medici of |
| saliva was poisonous. There are many naturally | | | | Tuscany. |
| occurring poisons, with hemlock and nightshade being | | | | Interestingly enough, arsenic in its purest form is hardly |
| examples, but more "civilized" poisoners have one | | | | lethal. It can cause mild discomfort and headaches, but |
| chemical of preference. That chemical is arsenic. | | | | is only lethal in exceptional cases. The real threat of |
| Arsenic poisoning is often a slow, time-consuming | | | | arsenic poisoning comes when arsenic is mixed with |
| process that leads to an equally slow, painful death. | | | | other compounds, which usually start a sort of drug |
| Arsenic poisoning is, according to one serial poisoner | | | | interaction when introduced to the body. In most cases, |
| who fancied herself a philosopher, an "art form and a | | | | arsenic combined with oxygen is significantly more |
| precise science." Controlled doses, preferably starting | | | | fatal than pure arsenic, with arsenic trioxide being |
| with small amounts that increase over time, are ideal to | | | | among the most potent. Long-term ingestion or arsenic |
| avoid the body's drug metabolism from rejecting it. Too | | | | through liquids, particularly water or tea, are also more |
| strong a dose and the body simply forces the poison | | | | effective than the pure form of the chemical. Mixing it |
| out with minimal side effects, which was what | | | | with drinks also makes it much harder to detect |
| happened to Napoleon Bonaparte. This was, according | | | | without proper testing. |
| to popular lore, also the case with one of the earlier | | | | Not all arsenic poisoning is intentional, however. |
| victims of serial poisoner Belle Gunness. Too little and | | | | Groundwater in several places can be easily |
| the body's drug tolerance kicks in, preventing any real | | | | contaminated by arsenic. Recently, Bangladesh has |
| effects from emerging. It is often a delicate balance | | | | had to deal with this problem due to well tapping into |
| between dosage and "schedule" that allows the | | | | contaminated underground water sources in the 1970s. |
| venom to be so effective. | | | | In the past, arsenic was also a component in a variety |
| Arsenic is considered the near-perfect poison because | | | | of colors used by artists, notably emerald green. The |
| it is virtually undetectable by the senses and most of | | | | neurological problems of Vincent Van Gogh have |
| the symptoms can easily be attributed to an ulcer or | | | | sometimes been attributed to long-term arsenic, lead, |
| heart condition. Stomach pains, particularly around the | | | | and mercury exposure that were supposedly found in |
| bowel region, are among the signs of high | | | | the paints he used. |
| concentration doses. Mild headaches, dizziness, and | | | | |