2003 ricin letters lethal dose of ricin in humans provided that exposure is from injection or inhalation. Ricin is easily purified from castor-oil manufacturing waste. It has been utilized by various states and organizations as a weapon, being most effective as an assassination weapon, notably in the case of the 1978 assassination of Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov. On January 4, 2004 new federal transportation rules took effect which directly affected the over-the-road trucking industry in the United States. The rules took effect with a 60-day grace period and were aimed at reducing fatigue related accidents and fatalities. Called the most far-reaching rule changes
Ricin is largely restricted to the gastrointestinal tract, where it may cause mucosal injuries. With appropriate treatment, most patients will make a decent recovery. Because the symptoms are caused by failure to make protein, they may take anywhere from hours to days to appear, depending on the route of exposure and the dose. When ingested, gastrointestinal symptoms can manifest within 6 hours; these symptoms do not always become apparent. Within 2 to 5 days of exposure to ricin, effects of ricin on the central nervous system, adrenal glands, kidneys, and liver appear. Ingestion of ricin causes pain, inflammation, and hemorrhage in