MEDIEVAL POISON

By: Me
Belladonna (Deadly Nightshade)
 Used a Beauty product
 Affects the nervous system and can lead to memory
disruption and severe confusion (when given in small
doses over time)
 All parts of the plant are toxic
 The symptoms of belladonna poisoning include dilated
pupils, sensitivity to light, blurred vision, tachycardia,
loss of balance, headache, rash, flushing, dry mouth
and throat, slurred speech, urinary retention,
constipation, confusion, hallucinations, delirium, and
convulsions
 Also in the same family: Mandrake, tomatoes, pepper
plants, tobacco and eggplant
Nightshade
 Hemlock
 Water Hemlock has the highest concentrations of the poison
cicutoxin which can be found in the root and one bite of this
can cause death in adults.  Water Hemlock causes
convulsions and death.  Poison Hemlock causes muscle
failure and death.
 The poisonous part of hemlock, causes ascending muscular
paralysis with eventual paralysis of the respiratory muscles
which results in death due to lack of oxygen to the heart and
brain.
 In the same family as the carrot and Queen Anne’s Lace
 Whilst Descartes may have said, “I think, therefore I am,”
Socrates is meant to have lifted his mug of Hemlock and
said, “I drink, therefore I’m not.”
Hemlock Picture
The Seeds

The flower The leaves

The Root
 Arsenic
 Arsenic became a favorite murder weapon of the Middle
Ages and Renaissance, allegedly among ruling classes in
Italy. Because the symptoms are similar to those of cholera.
 By the 19th century, it had acquired the nickname
"inheritance powder,"
 In the UK it was available as a poison that could be freely
bought in chemists to help with rat infestations
 Symptoms of arsenic poisoning begin with headaches,
confusion, severe diarrhea, and drowsiness can also cause
night blindness
 It has been suggested that Napoleon Bonaparte (1769–1821)
suffered and died from arsenic poisoning during his
imprisonment on the island of Saint Helena
Arsenic
 Cyanide
 Cyanide kills by preventing red blood cells
from absorbing oxygen
 Rasputin consumed a dose of cyanide that
should have been lethal.  When it produced no
adverse effects his enemies decided it was time
to shoot and drown him
 Found in all Elderberries, apple seeds, and
walnuts
Cyanide
 Wolfsbane
 All the species contain an active poison
Aconitine, one of the most formidable poisons
which have yet been discovered: it exists in all
parts of the plant, but especially in the root.
 It paralyzes the nervous system
 Mainly used in Alchemy
 Used on a variety of weapons to kill animals
and to speed the process of killing in war.
 Other names include: Monkshood, devils
helmet, aconitum and aconite.
Wolfsbane/ Monkshood
 Foxglove
 The entire plant is toxic (including the roots and seeds), although
the leaves of the upper stem are particularly potent, with just a
nibble being enough to potentially cause death
 symptoms of ingestion include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
abdominal pain, wild hallucinations, delirium, and severe
headache
 Depending on the severity of the poisoning the victim may later
suffer irregular and slow pulse, tremors, visions, especially of a
visual nature (unusual colour visions with objects appearing
yellowish to green, and blue halos around lights), convulsions,
and extremely increased or decreased heart rate.

 Common names include: Dead Man’s Bells, and Witches’ Gloves.

Foxglove
 Famous People who were
poisoned
 Socrates (d. 399 BC) , Greek philosopher —
According to Plato, sentenced to kill himself by
drinking poison hemlock
 Demosthenes (d. 322 BC) Athenian politician
 King John of England, with peaches (failed)
 Pope Benedict XI (d. 1304), believed to have
ingested cyanide
 Pope John Paul I (d. 1978), (unconfirmed)