Michael
Mar 3rd 2010, 12:46 PM
http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/OB-FI787_poison_D_20100122232016.jpg
Poison and Progress
Modern science's race to stay ahead of global terrorists and political assassins began with some devious poisoners in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
...
Until the early 19th century, few tools existed to detect a toxic substance in a corpse. Sometimes investigators deduced poison from the violent sickness that preceded death, or built a case by feeding animals a victim's last meal (in one trial, a courtroom poisoning of frogs led to a rapid guilty verdict).Yet, poisoners walked free more often than not. As a result, murder by poison flourished. It became so common that the French nicknamed the metallic poison arsenic "poudre de succession," or the inheritance powder.
Article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703699204575016971709814644.html)
Not much to discuss here, just an interesting article on an obscure topic! I figure it might be of interest to at least some people around here. :)
Poison and Progress
Modern science's race to stay ahead of global terrorists and political assassins began with some devious poisoners in the 19th and early 20th centuries.
...
Until the early 19th century, few tools existed to detect a toxic substance in a corpse. Sometimes investigators deduced poison from the violent sickness that preceded death, or built a case by feeding animals a victim's last meal (in one trial, a courtroom poisoning of frogs led to a rapid guilty verdict).Yet, poisoners walked free more often than not. As a result, murder by poison flourished. It became so common that the French nicknamed the metallic poison arsenic "poudre de succession," or the inheritance powder.
Article (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703699204575016971709814644.html)
Not much to discuss here, just an interesting article on an obscure topic! I figure it might be of interest to at least some people around here. :)