The lab technician retested Khan's blood, and results came back
in November. "It was definitely in the lethal range for cyanide
in the blood," Cina said. Cook County policy is not to perform
autopsies on anyone under 50 unless the death is suspicious or
an autopsy is requested. Cyanide is among the most potent and
deadly poisons, but it is not easy to get. The U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commission prohibits the retail sale of products
with cyanide salts. It is, however, available from industrial
sources. It cleans metal and is used in research labs and
mining. Cyanide can be found in some household products, such as
acetonitrile false fingernail remover. There are also tiny
quantities of it in cigarette smoke, and even smaller amounts in
almonds, the pits of stone fruits such as apricots, and lima
beans. Someone would have to eat a large quantity of those foods
for them to become toxic. "Like everything else, dose makes the
poison," said Dr. Robert Geller, medical director of the Georgia
Poison Center and a