Cyanide before Death

Cyanide is a naturally occurring chemical, found in many plants, that has been used in conventional warfare and poisoning for more than two millennia.1 It is highly lethal, whether inhaled as a gas, ingested in solid form, or absorbed through topical exposure. Two notable incidents in recent history include the Jonestown Massacre in 1978 and the Tylenol poisonings in 1982, which highlight the lethality of this poison. Despite its historical use as a chemical warfare agent, the most common cause of cyanide poisoning is smoke inhalation from fires.