In article ,
WaltA wrote:

When I used laurel leaves to kill bugs a long time ago in my youth
(when it was still ok to collect birds eggs as well,) I assumed that
it was cyanide in the leaves wot done it.

Yup :-)

But you said the leaves contained prussic acid, which confused me !
However after a short google this page proved enlightening
http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/range/g775.htm
"prussic acid--also called hydrocyanic acid, hydrogen cyanide, or
cyanide"

Or Scheele's acid, for those that are truly stuck in a time warp.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.