, ▁an ▁action ▁similar ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁cur are . ▁Sym pt oms ▁of ▁par al ysis ▁generally ▁occur ▁within ▁a ▁half - hour , ▁although ▁death ▁may ▁take ▁several ▁hours . ▁The ▁central ▁nerv ous ▁system ▁is ▁not ▁affected : ▁the ▁person ▁remains ▁conscious ▁and ▁aware ▁until ▁resp ir atory ▁par al ysis ▁results ▁in ▁c ess ation ▁of ▁breath ing . ▁The ▁fla cc id , ▁mus cular ▁par al ysis ▁is ▁an ▁asc ending ▁par al ysis , ▁lower ▁lim bs ▁being ▁first ▁affected . ▁The ▁person ▁may ▁have ▁a ▁hy po xic ▁conv ulsion ▁just ▁prior ▁to ▁death , ▁dis gu ised ▁by ▁the ▁mus cular ▁par al ysis ▁such ▁that ▁the ▁person ▁may ▁just ▁weak ly ▁sh ud der . ▁C ause ▁of ▁death ▁is ▁lack ▁of ▁o xygen ▁to ▁the ▁brain ▁and ▁heart ▁as ▁a ▁consequence ▁of ▁resp ir atory ▁par al ysis , ▁so ▁that ▁a ▁poison ed ▁person ▁may ▁recover ▁if ▁artificial ▁vent ilation ▁can ▁be ▁maintained ▁until ▁the ▁to x in ▁is ▁removed ▁from ▁the ▁victim ' s ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁L D 5 0 ▁values ▁( in ▁mouse , ▁i . v . ▁admin ister ed ) ▁for ▁the ▁R -( − ) ▁and ▁S -( +) ▁en anti om ers , ▁and ▁the ▁rac em ate , ▁are ▁approximately ▁ 7 ▁and ▁ 1 2 , ▁and ▁ 8 ▁mill igr ams ▁per ▁kil ogram , ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Chem ical ▁properties ▁(+ / – )- Con i ine ▁was ▁first