Dr. Death’s New Killing Device Is Even Worse than Its Predecessors
A “cyanide pill” has become a familiar trope in action and spy movies. Sometimes it’s an actual pill that must be swallowed; other movies make it an implant, usually embedded in a tooth, that must be crushed for the poison to be released. No matter the form, the purpose is the same: to trigger a quick death. In some stories the cyanide pill is provided for the hero to take as a last resort in the event of being captured. Other times it is taken by one of the bad guys to avoid being questioned. Some movies poke fun at the trope by having an incompetent baddie accidentally kill himself with it. Perhaps implanting a means by which you might accidentally kill yourself is not a good idea!
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is the Event & Executive Services Manager at The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity. He holds a BA in psychology from Nyack College and MAs in church history and theological studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
