I assume that not all cyanide compounds are equally poisonous. The chemistry
department at my college has ben giving me stuff for a number of years that
they don't want anymore. Thus I have acquired uranium nitrate, and ammonium
dichromate and other goodies that I can use. But last year they found 3 lb.
of potassium cyanide in an old safe and tried to give it to me. I declined
since 1. I had no use for it and 2. I estimate that that would be enough
cyanide to wipe out a city the size of Pittsburgh. I do recall that potassium
cyanide is useful in making up an electroplating solution for silver plating.
So if one were into makeing their own Daguerreotype plates it might be of
some value. Anyway, they also found a platinum crucible in the safe which they
gave me. Its very pretty but I have yet to figure out how to make platinum
prints out of it. ;-) Oh yes, this same safe contains a bottle of Picric Acid!
Bob Schramm