Don't eat the kernels!
I've worked on a sodium cyanide plant and know the smell, toxicity limits
etc of HCN. The kernels of plums ,apricots etc are used for flavouring jams,
but I read once that some health fiends killed themselves by eating about
40 apple pips(smell the HCN when they are cracked) in a muesli.
The interesting point about cyanide is that if you have a sub-fatal dose you
recover without permanent ill effect.
I once had a sub lethal dose, which had the effect of disorientation. We had
rushed off to the golf course after work and the effect was to double what
was already a poor score for the course.
Regards
David T
"Pam Moore" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 14 Sep 2005 15:33:20 +0100, "Davy"
wrote:


Regarding your suggestion of cracking the kernels and testing for a
bitter,
almond taste, I am afraid that I have read too many Agatha Christies to be
tempted to do that.

As a child I used to enjoy cracking the stones from plums etc and
eating the nuts. I'm still here! I've never heard of wanything
plum-like which is not edible, or certainly not poisonous. If if
tastes good I'm sure it will be OK to eat, but follow Nick's advice if
you are that cautious. Would the previous owners have grown anything
poisonous do you think? I guess you HAVE read too much Agatha
Christie!!

Pam in Bristol