Strychnos nux-vomica
Strychnine is a highly toxic and colorless alkaloid. It is also odorless. When swallowed or inhaled, it can cause death by asphyxia. It is often used to kill small animals, including mice and birds. As Harley Quin observes in The Coming of Mr Quin, strychnine is not very soluble unless it is in the form of a hydrochloride. When placed in a container of liquid, the strychnine would settle to the bottom, so that only when the container is being emptied would a concentrated fatal dose be ingested, allowing for a time delay between the poisoner being on the scene and the time of death. During Christie's time strychnine was often prescribe medicinally. Where this was in the form of soluble strychnine, it could be precipitated out, settling to the bottom and achieving the same time delay as above.
The species Strychnos toxifera is a principal plant source of the arrow poison curare.
Characters poisoned with strychnine[]
- Mr Appleton - The Coming of Mr Quin
- Miss Amelia Barrowby - How Does Your Garden Grow?
- Lady Ariadne Grayle - Death on the Nile (short story)
- Emily Inglethorp - The Mysterious Affair at Styles
Non-canonical characters poisoned with strychnine[]
- Èmilie Beauregard (parallel of Emily Inglethorp) - La Mystérieuse Affaire de Styles