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Only a small amount is required (Fig 7.2), if one has sodium or potassium cyanide dissolve 1 - 2 gm (a teaspoonful) of the salt into half a glass of water. The solution is stable in neutral or alkaline solutions, so do not use carbonated water. Drink the solution down quickly.
Fig7.2: Lethal quantity (1gm) of KCN
Alternatively, pack the powder into ‘OO’ gelatin capsules (Fig 7.3) and take these with a glass of water. The powder density is 1.5gm/cc and a single ‘00’ capsule will contain 1.35gm of the powder, 2 capsules is more than enough for a peaceful death,
The effect is greatest when the salt reaches the acid environment of the stomach, so ensure that your stomach is empty before taking the cyanide.
A noted variation was used by computer pioneer Alan Turing, who injected the dissolved salt into an apple before eating it.