Is there a reference (online ideally) that lists different poisons and their effects? My protagonist needs to get heavily sedated for a certain amount of time and I'd like to make it as accurate as possible.

There's the injectable anaesthetic the vets use: Ketamine.
Dexter also uses it to sedate his victims.
I think it might need an antidote.

- NaomiM

If it's not too much of a cliche, how about Rohypnol? (roofies)

I think Ketamine just wears off and it’s pretty short-acting. Vets use Immobilon which can be injected by dart gun. That has to be reversed with an equal dose of Revivon. The strength of Immobilon used for large animals is lethal if accidentally injected into humans. I recently met a veterinary nurse who once had to keep her boss alive after he accidentally scratched his hand with the needle on a syringe-full of the stuff. she had to inject him with Revivon and then give him CPR until the paramedics arrived. He survived, but it was touch and go.

All of which means, I suppose, that it’s too drastic for what you want, Tim. This link might help, although double-check the data:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociative_drug

And failing that, try contacting SciTalk:

http://www.scitalk.org.uk/

Good luck

Dee

Thanks all.

That resource you posted (scitalk) looks brilliant Dee! Do you ever use it? Is it easy to get help?

It is brilliant, Tim. I used them a few years ago and the doctor I hooked up with was ever so helpful. I met Anne Lingard, who set up SciTalk, at an Author’s North meeting last year when she was doing a talk about it, and she singled me out as someone who has used their service and asked me to say a few words about my experience. It wasn’t as scary as it would have been if I'd known in advance she was going to do that, but it made me wonder if perhaps they're not getting the uptake they would like.

Have a go. If you don’t see anyone who looks like a good match, contact Anne and I'm sure she’ll help.

Dee

Wow, great. Do you have to meet up with them or can you do it by email? I research a lot myself online and usually just want bits and pieces clarifying so it's probably not enough to warrant a meeting.

No, you don’t have to meet them, although some do. It depends on how close you are and how necessary – or not – you both think it is. Some people become good friends and work together on more than one project. It’s all very relaxed.

Give it a go – you might like it!

Dee

By ‘close’, I mean in terms of mileage!

Thank you, I have emailed a pharmacist. What's in it for them? Do they just like sharing knowledge

Basically, yes – don’t we all? And I think they like the interaction with writers. Such divergent disciplines probably fascinates them.