Cyanide ingestion. Case studies of four suicides

Deliberate ingestion of cyanides is relatively rare, as reflected in the Registrar General's figures. There are no pathognomonic specific autopsy findings and even the distinctive smell may be missed by some individuals. We present four cases of cyanide ingestion, one of which appears to be the first reported case of magnesium cyanide poisoning in humans. The problems involved in investigating deaths from cyanide ingestion are discussed.