Ricin as a weapon of mass terror--separating fact from fiction.

In recent years there has been an increased concern regarding the potential use of chemical and biological weapons for mass urban terror. In particular, there are concerns that ricin could be employed as such an agent. This has been reinforced by recent high profile cases involving ricin, and its use during the cold war to assassinate a high profile communist dissident.

Diethylene glycol poisoning.

Introduction: Diethylene glycol (DEG) is a clear, colorless, practically odorless, viscous, hygroscopic liquid with a sweetish taste. In addition to its use in a wide range of industrial products, it has also been involved in a number of prominent mass poisonings spanning back to 1937. Despite DEG's toxicity and associated epidemics of fatal poisonings, a comprehensive review has not been published.