[Frumious Bandersnatch]

No, I don't dispute that it was poison.  The problem is that Plato, who gives us the account, got his information second hand.  He wasn't even there when Socrates took the poison.  From a medical perspective, Hemlock causes extremely painful convulsions, which was not true in the case of Socrates.  Anyway, I was just picking nits, since I pretty much agree with the rest of your statements.

[mattdono]

Ah...picking nits! I should have detected (and appreciated) that. Who was it that drank Hemlock? Hamlet and Ophelia? Oh, well, poison is poison and death is death, so I guess it is a moot point.