Basements, attics, furnace rooms, barns, sheds/garages…you never know where seriously scary poisons will show up.  Some of these poisons have been banned for decades in the U.S. (or used under very tight restrictions) but still available in other areas of the world. Every once in a while, the IPC gets called because someone brought a foreign product into the U.S. or found a product in an old house.  A few of these dangerous products include:

Carbon Tetrachloride

This chemical used to be found in a variety of products including fire extinguishers, degreasers, refrigerants and spot removers. Carbon Tetrachloride is extremely toxic to the liver and kidneys, and about a teaspoon could be fatal in an adult.  It was banned for consumer-use products in the 1970’s, and now only has limited industrial uses.  Unfortunately, the IPC has handled cases even after the substance was banned.  Some cases involved glass globes, called “fire grenades”, containing carbon tetrachloride that were meant to be thrown at the base of a fire (see image below).  The glass would break and the carbon tetrachloride would extinguish the flames.  Other cases involved someone who, while cleaning out an old home’s basement, came upon this curious item and inadvertently dropped and broke it.   Because carbon tetrachloride is absorbed via inhalation, breaking one of these globes in an enclosed space is really dangerous and would require professional hazmat clean up.  If you find one in an old home—stay away and call the Poison Center Helpline at 800-222-1222 ASAP!

Image Credit: Liveauctioneers.com

Strychnine

Most people have heard of strychnine, even though they may not be aware of just how deadly it is.  As late as 1982, strychnine was found in over 170 commercial products, mostly rodenticides.  Currently, it is mainly used in research and a few restricted pesticides. Every few years however, we get a call because strychnine pesticide was found in an old barn or shed.  Strychnine causes painful, severe muscle contractions due to its effect on the spinal cord. The muscle contractions from strychnine poisoning resemble those from tetanus (see image below); they affect the same neurotransmitter. These symptoms are sometimes referred to as ‘seizures’ but strychnine does not affect the brain, so the unfortunate patient is fully awake and conscious (until respiratory paralysis occurs). The effects kick in within an hour of ingestion and there is no antidote.  Between 1926-1928, strychnine killed 3 people in the US every week.  In the 1930’s it was one of the most lethal poisonings in children.  

Image Credit:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetanus

Sodium monofluoroacetate (AKA Compound 1080)

Here is another scary pesticide of natural origin (occurs in plants native to Brazil, Australia and Africa).  It halts energy production in all cells in the body.  It has no antidote and as little as 1/5 of a teaspoon can be toxic.  It was banned for consumer use in the U.S. in 1972 and is restricted to limited agricultural use and on some wildlife and livestock by USDA APHIS’s Wildlife Services.  It is however, still used extensively in other countries and can be brought in illegally.  As an example, a few years ago, the IPC was consulted on a fatal case after being brought in from another country.  Sodium monofluoroacetate is normally colorless but is often dyed a purple-black so when mixed with water, it looks like grape juice.  Not too long ago, the IPC was consulted on a case where this purple mixture was stored in a sports drink bottle.  Thankfully that patient did well, but let this be another reminder to always keep non-food items in their original containers!

Image Credit:  Sway Office

Vacor

Vacor was a rodenticide that was marketed for a brief time between 1975-1979.  It was originally thought to be safe for humans, but was pulled off the market in 1979 by the manufacturer. This poison works in a unique way—it destroys the pancreas cells that are responsible for producing insulin.  It essentially causes a permanent, chemically-induced diabetes which happens hours to days after ingestion. Patients who survived serious Vacor poisoning required insulin injections for the rest of their lives. Click here if you’d like to geek out on this substance!

Image Credit: Pinwheels and Rainbows

Arsenic

Most people have heard of arsenic’s poisonous potential from watching crime documentary shows or reading murder mystery novels.  Aside from its unsavory history as a homicide weapon, arsenic was widely available as a household rodenticide until the 1980s.  Further back, in the 1800s, arsenic was used for skin whitening and in green pigments (Paris Green and Scheele’s Green) for things such as wallpaper, fabric and toys. The primary use of arsenic is in alloys of lead (for example, in car batteries and ammunition). Arsenic and its compounds, especially the trioxide, are used in the production of pesticides, treated wood products, herbicides, and insecticides. These applications are declining with the increasing recognition of the toxicity of arsenic and its compounds.  Arsenic has a variety of toxic effects on the cells throughout the body, including interrupting cell energy production and directly damaging DNA.  Symptoms of acute poisoning include excruciating GI symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea), heart arrhythmias, weakness/numbness/pain in the extremities, seizures, coma, kidney failure and death.

Image Credit: Learningforjustice.org

Image Credit:  Daily Mail

Hopefully you will never come across any of these super toxic substances in your/other’s home.  When in doubt, the IPC’s free, confidential 800-222-1222 Helpline is available within seconds (tip: save this number to all you phones ASAP!). Click here for a free Complimentary Safety Packet (includes stickers, magnet and first aid info for a poisoning) and here for the IPC’s free online Poison Prevention Education Course (bonus: free Continuing Education Credit!). Both resources are available in English and Spanish.