Title: Ricin - of course<br/>Author: Fermin Barrueto<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/74/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
With recent events, a few notes about ricin seems appropriate:</p>
<ol>
<li>
Easy to make from castor bean though heat labile</li>
<li>
No antidote, though Fab like digibind is in development</li>
<li>
Granule size of the grain of sand can kill</li>
<li>
Inhalation, IM, IV all effective</li>
<li>
After immediate exposure likely no symptoms</li>
<li>
Vomiting and diarrhea initially, acute lung injury and death in 3-5 days</li>
</ol>
<p>
CDC website: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/ricin/</p>