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September 17, 2005
Des Moines Register (Iowa)
Warning issued over stolen poison
By TOM ALEX
REGISTER STAFF WRITER
Burglars who broke into a Des Moines home this week apparently
left with a dangerous poison that authorities want to find.
"A 1-ounce portion of this powder has potentially enough
lethal doses in it to possibly kill up to 50 average-size humans
between 150 and 175 pounds," Police Lt. Ray Rexroat said.
"The label on this can clearly says 'fatal poison.' We
certainly don't want it out there where innocent people or children
can come across this stuff."
The chemical, sodium fluoroacetate, was in a small can inside
a safe that was stolen Monday from the home of Richard Mugan
at 2722 Payne Road.
Mugan reported that there were mostly personal papers in the
safe. Later, he remembered the can of sodium fluoroacetate,
also called Compound 1080, and called police.
The compound has been used to kill rodents and coyotes. It
was banned for most uses in 1990, according to a U.S. Department
of Agriculture. Some countries prohibit use of the chemical.
"I was storing it until I could have it properly disposed
of," Mugan, owner of Midwest Pest Management, said Friday.
He described the missing can as "a 1-ounce sealed tin can
with a yellow label with skull and crossbones on it."
Police Sgt. Gregg Westemeyer said: "Our fear is someone
comes along, finds the can, doesn't know what it is and opens
it. Or kicks it and it gets dumped in the process." He
said environmental, emergency management, Homeland Security,
poison control and hospital officials have been told.
Fire Department Capt. Tony Merrill said, "If you think
about rat poison, and how that can make you sick, this is a
lot stronger."
Compound
facts
NAME:
Sodium fluoroacetate, or Compound 1080.
DESCRIPTION:
A natural organic fluorine extracted from a West African
plant.
USES:
Compound 1080 was registered for coyote and rodent control,
particularly in areas where human contact was unlikely.
Since 1990, it has been used only in livestock collars
to kill predatory coyotes.
SYMPTOMS:
Convulsions, labored breathing, loss of consciousness.
|
Emergency
numbers
•If
you see the missing chemical, (515) 283-4811.
•If
you have any poison emergency, (800) 222-1222.
•If
the victim has collapsed or is unconscious, 911. Warning
issued over stolen poison
|
Copyright © 2004, The Des Moines Register.
Note: See Sept 17, 2005: Chances
are slim that the toxin, possibly stolen inadvertently, will
be found.