Poisons with original contents

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Screwtop

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Yesterday I went to an antique shop and found these two poisons for a few dollars a piece. Honestly I saw the word poison, saw the low price and didn't even think about what was inside.

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This is a Canadian Tincture of Iodine poison from the 40s or 50s (?). The label is in poor shape, but readable. It is half full with the solution.





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This is the cool one, but the one that has me worried. The label is in excellent condition, and so is the paint on the cap. It is almost full of its original contents - the only problem being that the original contents contain three different kinds of arsenic. Skull and cross bones apply here.



I'm very apprehensive about having a bottle filled with arsenic around the house, but I don't know what to do with it. I fear that if I contact poison control, they'll take the whole thing away. I can't dump it down the sink. Should I just leave it? It's survived 70+ years just fine, but I'm the kind of egghead that would break that safety streak.
 

mctaggart67

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I know that in some jurisdictions, pharmacists are required to dispose of old medicines, and old can extend into the world of antiques. The trick is to find a pharmacist who undertsands that you want the bottle back in the same condition you found it, minus, of course, the contents.
 

J.R. Collector

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I would part with that bottle. N95,Gloves, ziplock, to hazmat bag. Unless you are keeping the seal wet, I assume it is evaporating slowly out of the bottle. Is it really worth it?
 

ROBBYBOBBY64

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Arsenic was banned from pesticide use in the 1980's. Used not only as a poison it was also used as a wood preservative. I totally agree with Sarasota941, deadly stuff not worth it.
ROBBYBOBBY64.
 
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Newfie treasure hunter

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Yesterday I went to an antique shop and found these two poisons for a few dollars a piece. Honestly I saw the word poison, saw the low price and didn't even think about what was inside.

View attachment 226684

This is a Canadian Tincture of Iodine poison from the 40s or 50s (?). The label is in poor shape, but readable. It is half full with the solution.





View attachment 226685


This is the cool one, but the one that has me worried. The label is in excellent condition, and so is the paint on the cap. It is almost full of its original contents - the only problem being that the original contents contain three different kinds of arsenic. Skull and cross bones apply here.



I'm very apprehensive about having a bottle filled with arsenic around the house, but I don't know what to do with it. I fear that if I contact poison control, they'll take the whole thing away. I can't dump it down the sink. Should I just leave it? It's survived 70+ years just fine, but I'm the kind of egghead that would break that safety streak.
I found one once on an abandonned building, label intact, of technical green cross emulsion chlordane, later I found our that it was banned from Canada in '86! Still not sure what to do with it...
 

Newfie treasure hunter

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I found one once on an abandonned building, label intact, of technical green cross emulsion chlordane, later I found our that it was banned from Canada in '86! Still not sure what to do with it...
Note: I do not have it in my possession
Please do not contact poison control lol
 

Jeff Keith

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I have several the Chloradane 75% are all out in my Workshop in the Saftey cabinet. I do have a Few Mercury BiChloride which are Full and Strichnine which are Full sealed in bags in a Locked Plate glass Display case. I was given many others I find when I buy at auctions. I purchased a complete Graduated Set of Cobalt Hobnail Poisions a few months back that are all empty.
 

WesternPA-collector

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Yesterday I went to an antique shop and found these two poisons for a few dollars a piece. Honestly I saw the word poison, saw the low price and didn't even think about what was inside.

View attachment 226684

This is a Canadian Tincture of Iodine poison from the 40s or 50s (?). The label is in poor shape, but readable. It is half full with the solution.





View attachment 226685


This is the cool one, but the one that has me worried. The label is in excellent condition, and so is the paint on the cap. It is almost full of its original contents - the only problem being that the original contents contain three different kinds of arsenic. Skull and cross bones apply here.



I'm very apprehensive about having a bottle filled with arsenic around the house, but I don't know what to do with it. I fear that if I contact poison control, they'll take the whole thing away. I can't dump it down the sink. Should I just leave it? It's survived 70+ years just fine, but I'm the kind of egghead that would break that safety streak.
If you are really worried you could just seal the cap with wax all around it. That's what people do with vintage whiskey bottles to stop the evaporation.
 

Dogo

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Many areas have periodic hazardous material disposal. Check with your local recycling agency.
 

Poison_Us

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Unless embossed, the bottles are considered General Purpose and not Poisons. First bottles is probably a later issue of what was the KS-12 before Bakelite caps took over and the industry went to paper labels only.
 

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