Let the following replace the entry for “Cyanide” in every encyclopedia.
Cyanide
I’m going to give you some words and phrases, and I want you to let them just wash over your brain — don’t worry about their meaning:
Carbon nitrogen radical . . . poisonous compound chemicals . . . potassium . . . the Castner process . . . metal ions . . . organic salt . . . hydrogen . . . cyanogen . . . prussic toxin . . . death in 5 minutes flat.
Pellets of cyanide are tossed into a bottle that is filled to the brim with sulfuric acid. Around the neck of this bottle is a paper label, with the words “DRINK ME” beautifully printed on it in large letters. But the wise little Alice is not going to do that in a hurry. “No,” she says, “first I shall test to discover whether this beverage will mar my fresh breath.”
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