Ricin is a chemical substance that was used in killing targeted individuals during the Cold War. The chemical was first developed in the United States and United Kingdom, but it was widely used in other countries like Bulgaria. The substance can kill individuals exposed to it through ingestion, inhalation and injections. Among the victims of ricin assassination includes Georgi Markov who was one of the rebels of the former communist regime. Ricin was also used as a weapon that targeted government officials. Several letters containing ricin were addressed to government officials in an attempt to kill them through ricin inhalation. Ricin kills those exposed to it by damaging their internal organs. Its elements kill cells by hindering various functions such as proper protein formation.
Ricin as an Assassination Weapon
Ricin assassination was a notorious strategy used in killing people during the Cold War. It is a poisonous substance which contains two elements. The two toxic elements act by killing body cells. When introduced into the human body, the first element enters the body cells. It creates a passage for the second toxic element which affects cells by hindering them from producing proteins. The inhibition of proteins causes the death of cells. Unlike other poisons, ricin reacts very slowly. People die several days after being exposed to the substance. Georgi Markov was one of the rebels in Bulgaria during the Cold War, and he became of victim of ricin poisoning.
History of Ricin Assassination
Since the year 1918, some people have used ricin as a weapon. The development of ricin to form weapons first occurred in the United States and United Kingdom. However, the weapon was never used in these countries until recent yea...
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Clay Dillow’s “To Catch a Bombmaker” was published by Popular Science in October 2015. This article educated the reader about the FBI’s Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center— a key aspect in the fight against terrorism. Dillow focused on ethos and logos to strengthen the validation of his claim concerning the importance of the TEDAC and was successful in persuading the reader to believe in its significance as well. He used expert quotes from FBI agents to give the article credibility; In addition, he presented statistical data in a clear and concise manner and gave many factual cases in which the TEDAC facilitated the government in their pursuit of terrorist and bomb makers. As proven by Dillow in “How to Catch a Bombmaker,” the Terrorist
Guillemin, J. (2005). Biological weapons: From the invention of state-sponsored programs to contemporary bioterrorism Columbia University Press.
Looking back at how the chemical weaponry expanded starting in the beginning of World War 1, it all began with Tear gas which was used by the French in August of 1914. Those techniques have been used in ancient times. Moving forward eight months in to the war the Germans have been giving great study in to the development of chemical weapons due to the first usage from the French and witnessed its great effectiveness and were the first to use it in a large scale.
There have been many wars and battles fought with different weapons, but chemical weapons used in these wars are the worst kind. These weapons cause mutations and horrible deceases to a state in which some deceases even exist many years after the incident. These chemical weapons were unfortunately used by Iraq during the 8-year war between Iran and Iraq: 1980–1988. Iraq started using these chemical weapons excessively after 1984, until the end of the war even though countries are not allowed to use chemical weapons in any cases. However, Iraq got confirmation from The United States.
Though biological weapons have been available for under a century, there is a long history of their use between 1914 and 1972. Chemical warfare was first introduced in 1914 at the beginning of World War I. Because of the new style of warfare with automatic weapons, trenches were dug out from the ground to defend against a slaughter. The introduction of this issue caused us to invent weapons such as the grenade, flame thrower, and finally, biological weapons. Biological weapons were distributed by hoses, grenades, and aerial attacks. By doing this, we eliminated many enemy trenches and saved a large amount of Ally lives. (Menace)
Josko, Deborah. "Botulin Toxin: A Weapon in Terrorism." Clinical Laboratory Science. 01 Jan. 2004: n.p. eLibrary Science. Web. 26 Jan. 2014.
Rasputin’s loyalty to the czar and his family made him “immune” to the attempts of exile from Russia (DISCovering). Aleksey Nickolayevich was a hemophiliac (Rasputin). On one certain occasion, doctors were called in to check on the young heir. After nothing seemed to help, “Grigory Rasputin, who was reported to have miraculous powers of faith healing, was brought to Alexandra” (Massie 259). Rasputin didn’t cure Aleksey of hemophilia, but his ability to control the symptoms was “indisputable” (Fuhrmann 26). “In December 1916, a group of conservative aristocrats laced Rasputin’s wine with potassium cyanide at a soiree in the Yousoupov Palace” (DISCovering). The poison wasn’t strong enough to kill Rasputin. He was shot once, “lurched” at his attackers and they shot him again (DISCovering).
The French were the first to start experimenting on chemical agents in 1912. They first used it on their people as riot control to capture criminals that who had robbed a bank. They used 26 millimeter grenades filled with chemical agents into the center of the group criminals they were attempting to apprehend. It was not said if it was effective but continued to look into using it for other means. However, the Germans at this time had not been interested in producing any kinds of chemical weapons.
Corddy, Eric A., Wirtz, James J., & Larsen, Jeffery A. (Eds). (2005). Ricin. Weapons of mass
...er and cause of death was drowning. According to an anonymous source, "Some would say that they had seen Rasputin leaving the city . . . of course none of this could be proven but it adds interesting spice to the story of a less than priestly priest whose healing powers seemed equaled by his seeming immortality. The part Rasputin played in Russian history has little to do with facts it comes from the tangled mass of hearsay and innuendo in which he was wrapped. It was not so much what Rasputin did but what he was rumored to do that mattered in history. In this respect he was, literally, a legend in his own time. The legend was known to the whole of Russia, the man to very few. Even the manner of his death was legendary, nor do the legends end with his death. Grigorii Yefimovich Rasputin lead one of the unusual and mysterious life and death stories ever lived. The early life, the Russian influence he gained, and the death of this amazing man all contribute to his legend. Many believed Rasputin was mad, but he was not mad he was a man of spiritual healing in an unknown form. Aristotle sums it up best in saying, "There was never a genius without a tincture of madness."
In September 1917, the Germans introduced the mustard gas or Yperite which was contained in artillery shells against the Russians at Riga. Those exposed to mustard gas experienced painful blisters internally and externally and blindness.... ... middle of paper ... ... Technology in World War I laid a foundation for even more powerful and deadly weapons, such as the nuclear bomb.
Chemical warfare is the use of chemical agents to injure, incapacitate, or kill enemy combatants. First seen during World War I (WWI), the devastating effects of widespread chemical warfare were eventually deemed inhumane by an international consensus and chemical agents were subsequently banned from use. Still, despite the tendency of the modern warrior to overlook antiquated tactics, the threat of chemical agents in the theater of war cannot be entirely discounted by today's Soldier. By analyzing the application, evolution, and overall legacy of chemical weapons in the Great War we can work to minimize the danger they pose in current conflicts and those of the near future. For it is only by understanding the past that we can understand the present and shape tomorrow.
The soviets tested several deadly poisons on prisoners in the gulag like mustard gas, ricin, digitoxin and several others. The soviets wanted and tried hard to find a tasteless and...
Although when the first world war began Rasputin began to change. He gained almost supreme power due to Russia's defeats and Nicholas's absence, but he and Alexandra began to run the country corruptly and made many unwise decisions, eventually he admitted that he was "the devil" and that he was no longer holy. The bad running of the country led prince Felix Yussuopov to begen a plot to kill him using the knowledge of Dr Lazovert. One evening Lazovert ground the cyanide of potassium crystals to a powder and sprinkled it into some of Rusputins favourite cakes. The amount he used should have been enough to kill several people.
Georgi Markov became sick that night and died a couple of days later. The autopsy that was conducted on the body uncovered a small pellet that had a coat of ricin on it, which is a biological poison (Mayer, p 4).