[Cryptography] Farewall, Alan Turing

[Arnold Reinhold]

On 8 Jun 2015 11:33 Tom Mitchell wrote:

> 
> On Sun, Jun 7, 2015 at 11:48 AM, Grant Schultz <gschultz at kc.rr.com <mailto:gschultz at kc.rr.com>> wrote:
>> 
>> Dave Horsfall wrote:
>>> Died 1954, from a cyanide-laced apple.
>> 
> ....
> 
>> 
>> Another theory is that it was accidental, as he apparently had an
>> electroplating apparatus set up that used potassium cyanide. Fumes perhaps
>> got him, or some got on his hands. He may have thought it was mere food
>> poisoning, until it was too late.
>> 
> 
> cyanide solutions are very dependant on pH management for safety even when
> well diluted.  The gold mines around the world have troubling events from
> time
> to time that make this point despite the very dilute nature of these leach
> solutions.
> 
> Apple naturally seeds do contain cyanide at levels easy to detect so a good
> chemist would report positive if asked to test.  Modern chemistry tools are
> so improved that our expectations are a long way from 1954 reality.
> 
> Knowing the truth is not going to happen so I am willing to give him a pass
> and would be happy with an electroplating accident.
> 

I think it’s worth remembering that in the mid-1950’s chemistry was the main option available for a person interested in experimenting with science at home. Electronics was all vacuum tubes and relays.  No computers were available to hobbyists. Amateur radio was another option, but Turing had spent the war dealing with the most advance radio networks available, so one can easily imagine his lacking interest in that hobby. 

Overarching concerns about occupational safety in chemistry were far in the future. Working with dangerous chemicals just added excitement. I was in elementary school at the time and did things that would have brought in the SWAT teams and Hazmat trucks today, though I think I knew enough not to mess with cyanide.

The fact that Turing had been working with cyanide solutions, in a confined space no less, and died of cyanide poisoning passes the Duck Test for me. 

Arnold Reinhold
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