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Poison Center

College of Pharmacy, 1295 N. Martin
PO Box 210202, Tucson, Arizona 85721
Phone: (520) 626-1427

445 N. 5th St., Ste.120
Phoenix AZ 85004
Phone: (602) 293-3222
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Webmaster | Last updated: 10/01/2008

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Tox-Trivia Question Set 2

  1. In 1953, the first poison control center in the United States opened. In what city did this take place?
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  2. Edward Press and Louis Gdalman were the co-founders of the first US poison center. What profession/occupation were these two individuals practicing at the time the center was opened.?
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  3. The use of this sedative hypnotic drug by pregnant women mainly in Europe, Australia and Canada in the early 1960's resulted in about 5,000 cases of congenital anomalies in the newborns. What was the drug?
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  4. This event occurred in 1978 when a New York residential community directed attention to the problems of how to deal with the presence of 20,000 tons of toxic waste dumped by the Hooker Chemical and Plastic Company. Where is this community located?
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  5. For compounds eliminated by "first order" kinetics, after how many half-lives should occur until no significant amount of drug remain?
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  6. Commercial preparations promoted as "universal antidote" contain magnesium oxide, tannic acid, and activated charcoal has fallen to infrequent use since superiority in decreasing adsorption has not been shown and one of the ingredients is potentially hepatotoxic. Identify that ingredient.
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  7. Name two leading characters from Shakespeare's works who met their untimely deaths by poison.
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  8. In the 1993 movie "sleepless in Seattle", Sam (Tom Hanks) gives good advice to the baby-sitter before he went out. What was the advice he gave to the sitter?
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  9. Greek tragedian Euripides, Pope Clement VII, the Roman emperors Claudius I, Jovian and the widow of Russian Tsar Alexis I, all reportedly died from the same cause. What was the lethal cause?
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  10. Often mistaken for a vegetable, this fruit called the "Love Apple" was believed to be poisonous by the Colonial Americans. This belief began to change when one prominent person of the day encouraged the consumption of this unusual fruit. What is this fruit?. Who was this prominent American?
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  11. In 1992, a New York book publisher recalled copies of its " Great Cakes" recipe collection by Carol Walter because on page 499 it was suggested that desserts be decorated with a poisonous flower. What is this flower?
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  12. According to Norse mythology, the god Baldur was killed by a poison dart made from what toxic plant?
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  13. Larousse Gastronomique, among the most famous cookbooks in the world , once recommended the toxic leaves of what plant could be "eaten like spinach?"
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  14. In 400 B.C. the troops of "Cyrus the Younger" ate honey collected locally near Trabzou in northeastern Turkey. According to the Greek historian, Xenophon, the troops were leveled soon after "in great numbers, as if there had been a defeat and there was generalized dejection." What happened?
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  15. In the children's tale, The Story of Babar, Babar's father and king of the elephants died after eating something poisonous. What did he eat?
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  16. In 1989, the historian Mary Kiburne Mattossian advanced the theory that an event in France during the Spring of 1789, known as the "Great Fear" was not caused by the French Revolution, but actually from food contaminated by a toxic agent. What is the alleged toxin?
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  17. You are to be the honored guest at a "Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous" once-in-a lifetime dinner hosted by the Empress Agrippina, Cesare and Lucretia Borgia, Catherine deMedici and Dr. Hawley Crippen. Will you be attending or do you have other plans?
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  18. A number of food borne epidemics have occurred following the ingestion of bread made from rye contaminated by the fungus Claviceps purpurea. What is the toxin?
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  19. The state of New Jersey recently made it illegal for restaurants to serve eggs soft-boiled or "sunny-side up." What is the law intended to do?
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  20. During 1989-1990 an outbreak of eosinophilic-myalgia syndrome (EMS) was reported and associated with the use of a genetically engineered compound that was being promoted as a health food product. What is the product?
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  21. In 1991, thousands of bottles of Aqua Destilada (distilled water) were removed from pharmacy shelves in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands because the bottles actually contained a harmful material. What did the bottles contain?
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  22. This remarkable woman of history killed herself by deliberately allowing an asp to bite her. Who was this woman?
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  23. In the 1991 movie "My Girl", the young boy (played by Macaulay Culkin) dies from an encounter with a venomous critter. What was the critter?
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  24. On September 12, 1991, 65 year-old, Adam Garza of McAllen, Texas became a "toxicological first" in the United States when he came into contact with what toxicological entity?
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  25. When the German "blitz" began over the skies of England during World War II, what was done at the London Zoo to protect the public?
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  26. Peoples around the world have been able to domesticate one venomous insect. Name that insect. Name one non-venomous insect that has also been domesticated.
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  27. Black widow spiders are widely distributed worldwide; there is one state in the United States in which these spiders are thought not to be found native. Name the state.
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  28. Name the only continent in the world inhabited by more poisonous than nonpoisonous snakes.
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  29. Name the childrens' nursery rhyme character who suffered from the condition known as "arachnophobia?"
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  30. There are two oceans where most of world's sea snakes can be found? Which are they?
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  31. During the American Civil War (1861-1865), Northerners who sympathized with the Southern causes, were nicknamed for venomous creature. What was that nickname?
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  32. Your summer vacation itinerary is to tour only countries in the world where there are no known native snake inhabitants. Where will you be sending your postcards from? (Hint: 3 countries).
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  33. Public health concern for Salmonella arizona infections among Mexican-Americans who reside in Los Angeles, California is associated with ingestion of what folk remedy?
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  34. Rattlesnakes (Crotalus species) are suppose to have rattles as a tail appendage. There is one species which does not possess a rattle. Where is home for this unique "rattleless" pit viper?
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  35. "Tarantism" was a condition experienced in the Middle Ages in Europe where the only cure was by frenzied dancing to complete exhaustion. Name the dance. What was the alleged cause of this condition?
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  36. In 1992, the toxicology world learned that the first-ever specie of a POISONOUS BIRD had been found! Where was this bird (the "Hooded Pitohui") found? What is the toxin produced by this unique bird?
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  37. In the 1993 Steven Spielberg movie "Jurassic Park", a fictional dinosaur of considerable toxicological significance, called Dilophasaur, was depicted. What was the toxic nature of this prehistoric revelation?
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  38. The U.S. military named a guided missile after a venomous reptile. What is this weapon?
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  39. Hundreds of pelicans and cormorants along the California coast were wiped out in 1991; shortly afterwards two dozen people while digging for razor clams on Washington State's Olympic Peninsula developed nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, confusion and short- term memory loss. How are these incidents related to a toxic cause?
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  40. In the 1980 comedy movie "Airplane", what was the contaminated meal served to the passengers and crew that led to the illness of those on board and loss of the flying ability of the pilot?
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  41. In January 1975, Mitsugoro Bando VIII, one of Japan's most gifted Kabuki actors, died after eating a meal in a Kyoto restaurant. What did he have to eat?
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  42. In 1990, there was a 120 country recall of some 160 million bottles of Perrier(R) water due to contamination. What was the contaminant?
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  43. Food borne illness from eating "spoiled" food is always a possibility. There is one food that does not spoil with time. Name this food item.
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  44. In the 1960's in Great Britain, one hundred thousand (100,000) turkeys perished from a mysterious disease referred to as "turkey X disease". The cause was eventually traced to the animals' feed. What happened?
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  45. One of the most consequential mass poisonings in the U.S. with at least 75 deaths attributed to complications from acute kidney failure occurred in 1937. What happened?
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  46. In a recent (10/5/95) episode of "ER" the TV Emmy Award winning weekly series, a young child was treated in the emergency room for a drug overdose. What was the drug involved and the circumstances of the incident?
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  47. During January 1993 in several Western states, hundreds of people became seriously ill and two children died from culture-confirmed infection by Escherichia coli 0157:H7 that was traced to consumption of undercooked hamburgers from one fast-food restaurant chain. Name that fast-food restaurant chain.
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  48. In 1930 a lithium containing drink called" Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon LimeSoda" was introduced and touted to relieve depression following "hangovers" from consuming too much alcohol. Still on the market today, but no longer containing lithium, this is a popular beverage. What is this drink?
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  49. On July 9. 1979 a 29 year-old male college student Oregon suddenly collapsed and died at a party. Only alcohol was consumed and on post-mortem toxicology the blood alcohol level was < 30mg% (.03); stomach contents recovered did yield undigested remnants of Taricha granulosa. What is the cause of death?
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  50. You are a psychotherapist and one of your patients complains to you that she is experiencing "iophobia." What problem will you try to resolve in this patient?
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  51. Mary Mallon was once considered the "most dangerous woman in America! During the 1920's and 1930's she was responsible for the illness of untold numbers of persons and refused throughout her life to change her occupation until she was institutionalized. What was Mary's and refused throughout her life to change her occupation until she was institutionalized. What was Mary's nickname?
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  52. Thalarctos maritimus attains a length of 8 feet and a weight of 1500 pounds and ranges throughout the Arctic regions of the world. Numerous cases of poisoning have resulted from eating the liver and kidneys of this mammal. Identify this creature.
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  53. In California there is an annual quarantine of mussel harvesting to prevent collection of mollusks and shellfish during the period when the neurotoxin producing dinoflagellate "blooms" along coastal waters. When is this quarantine period imposed?
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  54. On July 4, 1985, the largest North American outbreak of food-borne pesticide illness ever was recorded (over 1,000 probable cases reported from California and 10 other U.S. including Arizona and Canadian jurisdictions). The incident cost millions of dollars to state agencies to investigate and on the agricultural industry due to lost revenues. What happened?
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  55. Where and when did the name "heroin" come from?
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  56. The Wicked Witch of the West in the movie "The Wizard of Oz", declared to Dorothy and her fellow travelers who were together on the Yellow Brick Road the following : "And now, my beauties .....something with poison in it, I think; with poison in it, but attractive to the eye and something to smell." What was the Wicked Witch's poison?
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  57. Dorothy and her companions were awaken from the sleep inducing effect of the Wicked Witch's poison with an antidote from Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. What was the Good Witch's antidote?
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  58. When Gertrude Stein's ("A Rose is A Rose is A Rose') friend and companion, Alice B. Toklas had her first cookbook published in America, her most famous recipe was omitted from the book. What was the recipe for?
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