![]() Luckily, botulism can be prevented by the appropriate use of sodium nitrite, a discovery that actually came about in an accidental fashion. Sausages are the classic example of the type of food that can be affected, and the word "botulism" in fact derives from the Latin "botulus," meaning sausage. The spores of this organism lurk in many foods and under the right conditions (lack of oxygen and low acidity), become active and liberate their toxin. ![]() Symptoms can range from double vision and difficulty in swallowing to paralysis and death. ![]() Seven million times more toxic than cobra venom, “botulin” poisons its victims by blocking the action of the neurotransmitter, acetylcholine. One of the most deadly substances known to mankind is produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Now on to the more serious aspects of saltpeter. The story that this chemical was put into soldiers’ food to decrease their sex drive is a total myth. “Saltpetre,” (the term refers either to potassium or sodium nitrate) has no effect on carnal urges. The second part of the question is easy to answer.
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