For thousands of years poisons have been used as a means of execution, a murder weapon and a way of committing suicide. Many of the ancient cultures understood and used poisons. Poison can be found in both natural and man made forms. Poisons can come in many configurations (gas, powder, liquid etc.) and death by poison is often mistaken for death by natural causes. It has been said that poison tends to be the weapon of choice for women rather than men.

One of the most noted cases of execution by poison was that of Socrates. Socrates, was a Greek philosopher who was found guilty of corrupting the minds of the young men in Athens. Socrates was sentenced to die by drinking poison hemlock.

In WWII the Germans used hydrogen cyanide in some of their notorious gas chambers. Cyanide was also a favorite poison used by high members of the German Third Reich to commit suicide. It was used by Eva Braun and other officers and their families at the end of the war. General Rommel is believed to have been forced to commit suicide by using cyanide. Continue reading →