Corrected entry: The idea of the cyanide bomb being placed under parliament was that it would kill all the Members of Parliament except those that Lord Blackwood wanted alive (these individuals had been given the antidote to cyanide). In reality, there is no "antidote" to cyanide, therefore the plot is flawed.
wizard_of_gore
2nd Jan 2010
Correction: There certainly is an antidote to cyanide. The modern method is to administer hydroxycobalamin, which reacts with cyanide to form cyanocobalamin. Cyanocobalamin can be eliminated by the kidneys. The major mechanism to remove the cyanide from the body is by enzymatic conversion by the mitochondrial enzyme rhodanese to convert cyanate to thiocyanate, which is a relatively non-toxic molecule that is excreted in the urine. (From Wikipedia).
wizard_of_gore ★