Puzzle 1 (Chemistry)
For something completely different, a few puzzles. These are my own, so do not bother to look up the solutions. Here is the first one.
In the late 1930s, there lived a druggist in London called Mr. Pill. Mr. Pill had a wife who was a woman of stormy temperament and forbidding appearance. They lived together for many years, but one day Mrs. Pill became ill; very ill indeed. Soon she was confined to her bed, and Mr. Pill took good care of her, as befits a good husband. It was really quite touching to watch him. Mr. Pill was constantly thirsty, and Mr. Pill patiently, with tender loving care, gave her a glass of water each time she asked. Strangely, he did not let anyone else to look after Mrs. Pill. Mrs. Pill's maid had become suspicious. The maid knew that Mr. Pill was not such a dedicated husband, after all. In fact, he had one affair after another, and all domestics knew that he hated his wife. So when he looked the other way, the maid filled a small vial from the ewer next to her mistress' bed. Poor Mrs. Pill was getting worse and worse and died the same day. Without delay, the maid went to Scotland Yard and gave them the vial. It was immediately analysed by the best forensic scientist in the country. It had no known poison in it. It had no radioactivity. It had no germs. After the analyses were done, he gave the entire content of the vial to a dog. The dog survived. Apparently, Mr. Pill did not kill his wife. He was a good man. Mr. Pill inherited a handsome pot of money from his late wife and remarried. His luck did not last long, though: he was killed during the Blitz.
Ten years later, the forensic scientist was reading at home. Suddenly, he realized how Mr. Pill killed his wife.
How did he do it?
In the late 1930s, there lived a druggist in London called Mr. Pill. Mr. Pill had a wife who was a woman of stormy temperament and forbidding appearance. They lived together for many years, but one day Mrs. Pill became ill; very ill indeed. Soon she was confined to her bed, and Mr. Pill took good care of her, as befits a good husband. It was really quite touching to watch him. Mr. Pill was constantly thirsty, and Mr. Pill patiently, with tender loving care, gave her a glass of water each time she asked. Strangely, he did not let anyone else to look after Mrs. Pill. Mrs. Pill's maid had become suspicious. The maid knew that Mr. Pill was not such a dedicated husband, after all. In fact, he had one affair after another, and all domestics knew that he hated his wife. So when he looked the other way, the maid filled a small vial from the ewer next to her mistress' bed. Poor Mrs. Pill was getting worse and worse and died the same day. Without delay, the maid went to Scotland Yard and gave them the vial. It was immediately analysed by the best forensic scientist in the country. It had no known poison in it. It had no radioactivity. It had no germs. After the analyses were done, he gave the entire content of the vial to a dog. The dog survived. Apparently, Mr. Pill did not kill his wife. He was a good man. Mr. Pill inherited a handsome pot of money from his late wife and remarried. His luck did not last long, though: he was killed during the Blitz.
Ten years later, the forensic scientist was reading at home. Suddenly, he realized how Mr. Pill killed his wife.
How did he do it?