How many more were poisoned?

[donsu]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=418521&in_page_id=1770


As the deadliest poison known to man was revealed to have killed Russian exile Alexander Litvinenko, the question last night was: How many more lives could it claim?

The 43-year-old former KGB officer was the victim of polonium 210, a radioactive element used as a trigger in nuclear weapons.

It is so powerful that a lethal dose can be passed on through the body in sweat or saliva.

So his widow Marina, 44, and ten-year-old son Anatole could have been contaminated just by kissing him as he fought for life in hospital. They are said to be at greatest risk.

But up to 100 other contacts will be tested among hospital staff, family members and restaurant workers who came into contact with him.

-snip-

In Moscow, however, President Putin said: ‘As far as I understand from the medical statement, it does not say this was the result of violence, this was not a violent death.’
-snip-
---------------------------------


piss poor excuse from Putin

and this from another article:

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/11/24/uk.spypoisoned/index.html?section=cnn_topstories&eref=yahoo

Radiation found where ex-spy ate, UK officials say


-snip-

"Traces of Polonium-210 were found at the Itsu sushi restaurant in Piccadilly, the Millennium Hotel, Grosvenor Square, and at Mr. Litvinenko's home in Muswell Hill, London," Scotland Yard said in a statement. "We are not prepared to discuss further."

-snip-

"As part of this investigation, the police have called in expert assistance to search for any residual radioactive material at a number of locations." Reid said health authorities would issue public statements "as appropriate."

-snip-

An autopsy of Litvinenko will not be conducted until after health agency experts assess the risk to autopsy personnel from radiation, said Prof. Pat Troop, chairman of the Health Protection Agency.

-snip-

Putin, speaking later Friday at news conference in Helsinki, Finland, called Litvinenko's death a tragedy.

But he said British medical documents did not show "that it was a result of violence, this is not a violent death, so there is no ground for speculations of this kind."
-snip-
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a kissing cousin to depleted uranium

[Warpy]

1. May Putin experience exactly the same nonviolence when he

dies. It's the only way he'll learn that lesson.

[Blue Diadem]

2. I've been wondering the same thing,

I heard today that a deadly amount could get lost on the point of a pin..not the head..the point. How in the world could others not be poisoned if trace amounts have already been found in the locations listed?

[MadHound]

3. I doubt that outside the immediate family

That there is any chance that somebody will be further poisoned. Yes, this is a radioactive susbstance, but it is a weak alpha wave emitter. One would have to either ingest or inhale it in order to suffer any effects. Thus, while his wife and kids might be at risk due to their possible saliva swapping, people at the hospital and restaurant are at little danger. In fact, I imagine that both facilities have already been deconned.

Sorry, but this is a bit of an over the top, hysterical piece. In fact if you read further down the page, even they admit that there is little danger.

[donsu]

5. hysterical? I didn't see any hysterics

please point out the hysterics

[MadHound]

6. Well, first of all, this isn't "the deadliest poison known to man"

There are many, many more virulent poisons that would have dropped the man face down into his sushi, and made it look like a heart attack. This was either the work of somebody who is unsophisticated in the field of poisons, or somebody who wanted Litvinenko to suffer(that's my guess). And yes, while there is a danger to those who encountered his bodily fluids, they would have to either inhale or ingest them, in a decently large quantity, in order to be affected. The piece slyly implies that there is over a hundred possible victims, and that there is risk to the workers and patrons of the sushi restaurant. Yes, radioactive traces were found there, alpha emitters, easily blocked by your skin. Most have been already wiped away by normal cleaning procedures.

The only real danger is to Litvinenko's wife and children. They are the ones who had the most opportunity to inhale or ingest his bodily fluids. They were grief stricken and didn't realize, or didn't care about the danger. I'm sure that the hospital instituted their procedures for dealing with patients who are contaminated with a radioactive agent. A fairly routine set of procedures, since most hospitals deal with barrium enemas and other radioactive substances on a regular basis.

[donsu]

7. the article said the poisoner had to be highly informed to know how

much to administer so he wouldn't drog dead on the spot. in order for the poisoner to get away.

that doesn't seem unsophisticated.

[MadHound]

9. Like I said, it was probably more the case that whoever wanted to do this

Wanted Litvinenko to suffer. This was a revenge killing, therefore they wanted him to contemplate his death for a while. And all that one has to do in order to control the dose is have it premeasured. Frankly, like I said earlier, there are many poisons where the victim would drop dead, and look like it would have been the work of a heart attack. That's sophisticaiton.

[drm604]

11. Not to change the subject

but, just for the record, barium enemas are not radioactive. See here: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22barium+is+not+radioactive%22&btnG=Search

[Blackhatjack]

4. Putin was KGB, remember? This would have been right down his line....

When the former head of the KGB became the new leader, you had to know that he would bring 'old school' tactics to the table in dealing with those who opposed him and his policies.

It sure sounds like S.O.P. from someone with his background.

[Nozebro]

8. ANTHRAX, anyone? You say potato, I say pototto. What's the difference?

nt

[valerief]

10. Putin, no wonder his name sounds like spitting. nt