Question

chicago tylenol murders
propose a hypothesis as to what happened to these individuals.
it was determined that all six victims had tested positive for cyanide poisoning. cyanide works by binding with receptors in the mitochondria, which prevent the transfer of electrons to oxygen. this means the oxygen cannot be used to create atp, and your body must resort to anaerobic respiration.
although the murderer was never caught, it was determined that someone had driven to several chicago stores and left capsules filled with cyanide inside of the tylenol bottles. the 1982 incident inspired the pharmaceutical, food, and consumer product industries to develop tamper - resistant packaging and improved quality control methods. moreover, product tampering was made a federal crime.
analysis questions

1. how is it possible that the patients had high oxygen levels in their blood, but died from lack of oxygen?
2. would artificial respiration or oxygenation have saved these people? why or why not?
3. what would explain the high levels of lactic acid in their blood?

Explanation:

1. Cyanide binds to mitochondrial receptors, halting electron - transfer and ATP production despite high blood oxygen levels, causing cells to be unable to use oxygen for energy.
2. Artificial respiration/oxygenation would not have saved them as the issue was cellular oxygen utilization, not oxygen availability in the blood.
3. High lactic - acid levels are due to anaerobic respiration. Since cyanide prevents aerobic respiration, the body switches to anaerobic respiration which produces lactic acid.

Answer:

1. Cyanide disrupts cellular oxygen use, not oxygen in blood.
2. No, because problem was cellular oxygen utilization.
3. Anaerobic respiration due to cyanide - induced aerobic respiration failure.