ARSENIC & OLD LACE | Diving Deeper: Poisons and their Affects

In Joseph Kesselring's dark comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace," poison isn’t just a plot device—it’s central to the story’s eerie charm. The play brings us into the world of the Brewster sisters, whose seemingly sweet and innocent behavior hides a sinister secret. They use arsenic as part of their twisted version of charity. As the narrative unfolds, the effects of poison serve as a catalyst for the play's humor and horror, revealing the fine line between sanity and madness in the Brewster household.

During a time where hundreds of nearly identical white chemical powders were commonplace, a single mislabeled jar could spell the difference between an unpleasant mouthful of chalk and a horrific death.

Poisons and Their Affects:

Arsenic : Abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. Chronic exposure leads to skin lesions, peripheral neuropathy, and an increased risk of cancer.
Used in: Victorian-era makeup; green dye (the trendy color during the late 18th and early 19th century) for clothing, wallpaper, furniture, decor, and food; preservative for taxidermy; glass-making, mining, smelting

Cyanide : Inhibits cellular respiration, leading to rapid breathing, confusion, headache, and potentially seizures. High doses can cause loss of consciousness and death. 
Used in: paints, daguerreotypes, and wallpapers; Hydrogen cyanide (a compound derived from the dye Prussian blue) was marketed as a cure for nervous diseases and consumption

10 Lead : Accumulates in bones and organs, leading to anemia, kidney damage, and neurological effects such as cognitive impairment and behavioral changes.
Used in: Victorian-era makeup; toys; paints; early 1900s hair restorers

Mercury : Causes tremors, vision and hearing problems, memory loss, and kidney damage. Chronic exposure can lead to severe neurological and developmental issues.
Used in: Mercuric Nitrate was used to treat felt for hats - hence the phrase "mad as a hatter"; preservative for taxidermy

Strychnine : Leads to severe muscle spasms, convulsions, and rigidity. It can cause respiratory failure and death due to the extreme muscle contractions.
Used in: Small doses to used to treat a wide variety of complaints, including fever, hysteria, paralysis and the plague; ingredient for rat poison

Ethylene Glycol : It causes metabolic acidosis, renal failure, and central nervous system depression, including headache, confusion, and seizures.
Used in: antifreeze

Aconite (Aconitine) : Affects the nervous system and heart, leading to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cardiac arrhythmias, and potentially death. 

Poison research provided by Dramaturg Mo De Poortere