Comments on: Polonium and Old Lace http://www.scienceline.org/2007/06/04/blog_westly_polonium/ The Shortest Distance Between You and Science Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:48:50 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Erica Westly http://www.scienceline.org/2007/06/04/blog_westly_polonium/comment-page-1/#comment-909 Erica Westly Thu, 07 Jun 2007 15:23:55 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/06/04/blog_westly_polonium/#comment-909 Right, I forgot about the Yushchenko dioxin case. I believe he ingested something like 1000 times the tolerable dose, but it resulted in more cosmetic damage (his face turned ashen and pock-marked) than anything. Slate actually did an Explainer on it, cruelly titled "Yushchenko's Extreme Makeover." http://www.slate.com/id/2110979/ I agree dioxin does make for a sneakier poison, since it's hard to trace and can take up to a year before the unlucky target starts to show symptoms. But as a murder weapon, it seems like it falls a little short. Maybe better for making enemies ugly, which in some political races could be considered akin to death. Right, I forgot about the Yushchenko dioxin case. I believe he ingested something like 1000 times the tolerable dose, but it resulted in more cosmetic damage (his face turned ashen and pock-marked) than anything. Slate actually did an Explainer on it, cruelly titled “Yushchenko’s Extreme Makeover.”
http://www.slate.com/id/2110979/

I agree dioxin does make for a sneakier poison, since it’s hard to trace and can take up to a year before the unlucky target starts to show symptoms. But as a murder weapon, it seems like it falls a little short. Maybe better for making enemies ugly, which in some political races could be considered akin to death.

]]> By: ToddG http://www.scienceline.org/2007/06/04/blog_westly_polonium/comment-page-1/#comment-907 ToddG Wed, 06 Jun 2007 01:53:29 +0000 http://scienceline.org/2007/06/04/blog_westly_polonium/#comment-907 Also somewhat recently there was the attempted dioxin poisoning (well successful poisoning, unsuccessful murder) of Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. You know, while discussing ugly poisonings in the sphere of Russia and all. And actually dioxin seems a much smarter choice than radioactive isotopes which can apparently be traced back to their source more easily; though I guess if one needs guaranteed results dioxin isn't the way to go... Also somewhat recently there was the attempted dioxin poisoning (well successful poisoning, unsuccessful murder) of Ukrainian opposition presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko. You know, while discussing ugly poisonings in the sphere of Russia and all.

And actually dioxin seems a much smarter choice than radioactive isotopes which can apparently be traced back to their source more easily; though I guess if one needs guaranteed results dioxin isn’t the way to go…

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