"Oh, henbane won't kill anybody," he responds in a matter of fact tone. "The most it causes is convulsions and a bout of vomiting--you feel abysmal for the next few days, though. Oleander was just as useless, though the convulsions were replaced with a feeling like my heart was going to explode at any moment."

Strange, unfortunately, is serious. He's talking about taking poison with the same sort of flippant tone as one would discuss the weather.