Ricin found in roll of quarters

Immy

Silver Member
Mar 12, 2005
2,928
616
Vegas
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The same stuff that was let loose in a Japanese subway a few years ago. It's a nerve agent, nasty stuff.

Hard to believe people can be that motivated to do harm. :(
 

Klaatu

Sr. Member
Apr 24, 2005
420
14
Colorado Springs, CO
Here is the AP article. Really scary to think a deadly poison has been found in a roll of coins. I hope it proves to be a false positive after further testing.


Feb 25, 5:17 PM EST

More Tests Needed in Texas Ricin Scare

By LIZ AUSTIN
Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN (AP) -- A University of Texas student found a substance in a roll of quarters that tested positive for ricin, a potentially deadly poison, but more tests were needed, officials said Saturday.

The 19-year-old student, who said she unwrapped the chunky powder in her dormitory laundry room Thursday, and her roommate were checked at a hospital for potential exposure to the poison, although neither had any symptoms, officials said. Preliminary tests for ricin came back positive Friday.

"I guess you can say I was just weirded out," said Kelly Heinbaugh, a freshman kinesiology major. "It seemed out of place ... I figured I'd rather be safe than sorry."

Because people with ricin poisoning develop symptoms within a few hours of exposure, university officials were confident all the students would be fine, said Dr. Theresa Spalding with university student health services.

Symptoms can include anything from difficulty breathing, fever, cough, nausea and sweating to severe vomiting and dehydration.

The substance was sent to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for further testing, Spalding said. The incident was being investigated by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force. An FBI spokesman did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.

Officials said the roll of quarters had been in the students' room at the Moore-Hill dormitory for several months.

The dormitory was sanitized and inspected, and students were cleared to return, the university said.

Ricin is extracted from castor beans and can be added to food or water, injected or sprayed as an aerosol. It can be in the form of a powder, mist, pellet, or it can be dissolved in water or weak acid.
 

OP
OP
slow sweeper

slow sweeper

Sr. Member
Jan 7, 2005
499
7
Oregon
Ricin was also the poison used by Islamic terrorists that tried to poison a water supply in England. London I think. Don't remember all the details. Scotland Yard busted 'em before they could get it done.
Heard this morning that other tests have come back negative.
 

SomeGuy

Hero Member
Jun 26, 2005
510
6
The stuff used in the Japanese subway was sarin, a nerve gas.

Ricin was once used by the KGB to murder a (Bulgarian radio broadcaster?) man by jabbing him in the leg with an umbrella. The umbrella was a weapon which fired a tiny pellet, the spherical pellet had 2 nearly microscopic holes drilled in it which were filed with ricin.

Before the murder, they had even warned him (without revealing the method) of the symptoms he would suffer before death. I think it took him a few days to die in the hospital.

There is no antidote.
 

Immy

Silver Member
Mar 12, 2005
2,928
616
Vegas
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
SomeGuy said:
The stuff used in the Japanese subway was sarin, a nerve gas.

Oh, that's right. Hard to keep track of what these wackos use.
 

Z

ZumbroKid

Guest
Paul in WA said:
Maybe it was CHASE bank trying to set Brian up so they wouldn't have to accept any rolled coins from him.

Paul
I think you got it nailed here. Now the banks do not have to accept all those nasty discolored coins till they are tested.
 

Klaatu

Sr. Member
Apr 24, 2005
420
14
Colorado Springs, CO
Below is the latest AP article on this subject. What you must realize is that initial tests are not 100% accurate and can give a false positive (as was the case here). A policeman's field drug test kit may indicate a substance is (pick your drug) cocaine, heroin, etc. but a more detailed laboratory test will be needed to conclusively determine what the substance is.

Powder at college not ricin, FBI says

February 27, 2006

AUSTIN ? The FBI determined a powdery substance found in a roll of quarters at a University of Texas dormitory was not ricin after initial state tests had indicated it was the potentially deadly poison, a spokesman said yesterday.

The FBI tests did not identify the substance, but the tests were negative for that poison, which is extracted from castor beans, San Antonio FBI spokesman Rene Salinas said.

Texas health officials did ?just a quick test, and they don't check for the proteins in ricin,? Salinas said.

The mystery powder spilled onto Kelly Heinbaugh's hands as she unwrapped a roll of quarters in her dorm room Thursday. The 19-year-old freshman and her roommate were evaluated for possible exposure to ricin and cleared at a hospital.
 

bazinga

Silver Member
Oct 31, 2005
2,966
80
High Five!
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Paul in WA said:
Maybe it was CHASE bank trying to set Brian up so they wouldn't have to accept any rolled coins from him.

Paul

Haha, make you wonder ;)
 

jeff of pa

Super Moderator
Staff member
Dec 19, 2003
85,470
59,226
🥇 Banner finds
1
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
It was probably something that was used to clean the coins,
that wasn't completly washed off before the coins were rolled.

I'v seen clad quarters turn green, from using certain
products like bleach.

And Paste type coin cleaners once dry leave a powdery film.

Anyone who is a little paranoid, may jump to conclusions,
if someone rolled them all together.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top