This is general presentation which can be used by anyone. It contains short information about the history, mode of transmission of tetanus in human beings and what are the health problems due to tetanus in human beings. All the information is gathered from reliable sources and references are also given at the end of the presentation. it can be used by anyone for educational purposes.

1. PRESENTED TO:
DR. RAKSHANDA AZIZ
PRESENTED BY: LAILA
BATTOOL
RICIN

2. HISTORY
 Ricin, is known as one of the most toxic substances
 It was discovered in 1888 by German scientist Peter Hermann
Stillmark.
 It is of special concern because of its potential use as a biological
weapon.
 Accidental exposure to ricin is rare and results primarily from the
ingestion of castor seeds.

3. USE OF RICIN AS WEAPON
 The most famous use of ricin as a weapon of assassination occurred in 1978,
when Georgi Markov, a Bulgarian exile living in London, was stabbed in the leg
with the tip of an umbrella that injected a tiny hollow sphere containing ricin
into his body.
 Markov was dead within three days after stabbed.
 The United States looked at using ricin as a weapon in World War I, either
using it to coat bullets, or creating a dust cloud of the toxin that would be
inhaled by the enemy.

4. FORMS OF TRANSMISSION OF RICIN
 Purified ricin occurs in the form of a soluble white powder that is
extracted from castor seeds or from the waste materials generated
during the production of castor oil.
 It can be in the form of a powder, a mist, or a pellet, or it can be
dissolved in water or weak acid.
 Purified ricin can enter the body through ingestion, inhalation, or
injection.

5. Ingestion Injection
Inhalation
stomac
h
skin
lungs
Blood stream
MECHANISM OF TRANSMISSION OF RICIN

6. EFFECTS ON RICIN IN HUMA BEINGS
When ricin is ingested, it
causes:
• Diarrhea and vomiting,
which can lead
to dehydration.
• In cases of severe
poisoning, these
symptoms are
seizures, hallucinations,
and liver and renal
failure, usually within 72
hours.
When ricin is injected, it
causes:
• Agglutination which in
turn leads to the
destruction of red cells.
• Very small doses of ricin
can be lethal if inhaled or
injected, since these
routes of exposure enable
the toxin to immediately
enter the bloodstream,
resulting in its rapid
distribution throughout
the body.
When ricin is inhaled, it
causes:
• Difficulty in breathing,
tightness in the chest,
cough, and nausea.
• Severe poisoning by
inhalation causes fluid
accumulation in the lungs
and respiratory failure,
leading to death within
36 to 72 hours.
INHALATION INJECTION
INGESTION

7. REFERENCES
Rogers, K. (2022, September 14). ricin. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/science/ricin
Assiri AS. Ricin poisoning causing death after ingestion of herbal
medicine. Ann Saudi Med. 2012 May-Jun;32(3):315-7. doi:
10.5144/0256-4947.2012.315. PMID: 22588447; PMCID:
PMC6081027.
Susan Borowski, AVAILABLE AT :https://www.aaas.org/beans-
weapon-discovery-ricin