h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi
I am writing a script for a short film that i intend to shoot, but need some advice concerning poisons.
Without giving away the plot, i need the name of a poison that i could print in large letters on a packet or tin and would be lethal in relatively small quantitys, as the main protagonist is going to carry this to a pub and put it in his gin & tonic, and expire soon after. There also needs to be an uncomplicated reason as to why he would have this poison around the house.
I saw on the page relating to poisons that butterfly collectors use a form of Cyanide, but to use that would complicate the story line.
Better if i can make a reference to the reason he has access to a quick acting poison without a lot of deviation from the story.
Thanks in Advance
Jim

A18446204 would be quite a good visual joke, in a sick sort of way.

Try here A4197585 for more information.

Arsenic was one favoured method of old time poisoners. It was fairly readily available as a rat poison from chemists by just signing a 'Poison Book'.

DK

Hi Deke
Thanks for your response, i had a look at the page relating to poisons and was under the impression that arsenic is not very quick.Unless used in a quantity that would be very noticable.
If i can elaborate on the script as there is a twist in the tale .
As the person who takes the poison to the pub with the intension to commit suicide, he is not the person who drinks his potion.
A person drinks his glass in front of him { stealing his drink }
so our main protagonist would be duty bound to tell him and call a paramedic who could pump out his stomach, as his charactor is a regular depressed guy, and not a cold blooded murderer.
Hence the need for a quick acting poison.
Thanks Jim

Hi Captain,

There is also this: A4113983

You're probably right about Arsenic. I'm afraid that it looks as though none of those I can suggest really fit the bill. To my limited knowledge it looks as though Cyanide is the most likely, although why you would have any of that around the house I wouldn't like to guess.

You may be going to have to take a bit of artistic licence here and rely on everyone else's ignorance on how long these things take to work. Or could you perhaps do without a name and just label the 'bottle' with the universal poison symbol of a skull and crossbones?

DK

Hi
Thanks again for your input, and i agree that i need to re-think the story , but i also think that the general film going public are quite knowledgable about lots of subjects and i tend to treat them as such, also as i am primary a docs film maker and this is my first attempt to write a short film drama script, i would like to make the story as real to life as possible.
The printed poison with the skull etc. i think is better suited to animations.
I have been thinking about the charactor and have decided to make him responsible for guy drinking the potion as he deserves to be punished for what he did earlier in the story { that is the twist}, and make the main charactor suffer remorse as he reports to the police station, which is probably a more realistic ending.
Re Jimi

Why not try one of the horticultural weed killers like Paraquat? The reason your subject would have it is both obvious and beyond suspicion!