You must Sign In to post a response.
  • Category: General

    Scientist who died by tasting potassium cyanide

    In primary class I heard about that there is a chemical called potassium cyanide which causes the immediate death of an any organism. Terrorist and criminals are using it to suicide if they caught by police. I also heard that nobody knows the taste of the potassium cyanide and one scientist was there who tasted this and wrote one letter in a paper about the taste and suddenly died. After that throughout the my chemistry studies I asked the name of that scientist to my chemistry teachers. But nobody knows. Any members of spider Kerala know the answer?
  • #6857
    This is a new information for me. That Chemist was a great person risk his life for finding its taste. Im also like tasteing chemicals in chemistry lab, but once I drink alkali and then I stoped tasteing chemicals. Alkali gives me lot of truble that day. Ok l'll try for the chemist's name. Thanks for the information.

  • #6858
    Mr.Aryan, Thank you for your response. A small suggestion for you. I am also a chemist. Don't try to taste the chemicals intentionally. By mistake in school days while pipetting some chemicals are enters in our mouth. But now technology has been developed. There is no chance of chemical to enter in our mouth. Some chemical which is not harmful may mix with some poisoness substances for contrlling microbial growth, deliqucency etc. The chemical may be Arsenic, Mercury etc. This may cause the severe problems in your body. this chemicals cannot degrade and metabolize by your body. But it will accumulate in your body mainly in heart and kidney cause the slow death. So Don,t try to taste the chemicals in your lab.
    With Best Regards,
    Subitha

  • #6862
    I have heard of it in my school days but i actualy forgot the scientists name. I have also heard that someone tested Pottasium Cyanide's taste and suddenly died but in that struggle he managed to write just a single alphabet "S". It is not sure if it tastes sour or sweet. Is this a true one or have i mistaken it.?

    I will try find his name out. Thank you for this informative post.

  • #6863
    A person named M.P. Prasad, a goldsmith from Palakkad district has contributed a great information in the field of chemistry and has created history. He discovered that Potassium Cyanide tastes acrid (bitter, irritating and burns the tongue). But his story was a tragedy. He died due to bankruption by tasting Potassium Cyanide and couldnot complete his suicide letter. He said that, "Doctors, potassium cyanide. I have
    tasted it. It burns the tongue and
    tastes acrid,"


    It was a great invention and M.P. Prasad gave a great answer to all the chemists out there. He is respected for his courage and will power. I hope this is the right answer for this question.

  • #6864
    Hai MR. Cijo,this is a new information for me.
    With Best Regards,
    Subitha

  • #6865
    Mr. Cijo. is it ture. A malayaly taste cyanide. I think it is a fake story.

  • #6868
    The story of the scientist who could only write "S" after tasting Potassium Cyanide is true. Prabhat was a scientist who lived in Bengal. He desided to taste it by taking very small quantity and started to write his letter but he was only able to write 'S'. Then his wife also followed him by testing Potassium Cyanide but she also could not complete it and wrote '('. Thus it created great doubt in people's mind whether it tastes "sour" or "sweet".

    The story of M.P. Prasad is an incident which happened in 2006 and he wad 32 year old goldsmith. I am not that much sure about this story as i have heard it from other people. I shared this because this will be new information for all and eveyone could cross check this and can find if it was right or wrong. Best of luck.u

  • #6869
    @Cijo,Actualy I mentioned about the first incident. That is the news I heared in my school days. Near to my home also before 5 year one suicide attempt was there using pottasium cyanide. He was a jwellery worker. He was suffering from some family problem and kept some potassium cyanide in his shelf. This he has shown to his family members also. But nobody take it as seriouse. But one day a morning we wake up by hearing this sad news.
    With Best Regards,
    Subitha


  • Sign In to post your comments