Ricin, the bubonic plague and the neurotoxin that causes botulism are among some of the deadly agents recently uncovered in laboratories at the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda, Maryland.
One of the items found, a bottle of the deadly poison ricin, was between 85 and 100 years old.
Officials at NIH said during a search for improperly stored toxins and hazardous materials they found several vials of agents that have now been destroyed.
In addition to the ricin, officials found four other agents including two small vials of the bacteria that cause the bubonic plague.
NIH said there is no evidence to suggest there was a safety risk to anyone in the lab, the surrounding areas or the community.
All of the toxins have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and have been destroyed.
The discovery comes just months after two vials of the deadly small pox virus were discovered.
