The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York
Science journalist Deborah Blum’s book illuminates the careers of two pioneers in early 20th Century New York: the chief medical examiner, Dr. Charles Norris, and toxicologist, Alexander Gettler. A fascinating account of how they used science to discover the ways various poisons killed their victims.
Author Deborah Blum’s list of favorite poisons include:
- Carbon Monoxide – nice and efficient
- Arsenic – so common, called "the inheritance powder"
- Radium – makes bones radioactive for years
- Nicotine – first plant poison scientists detected
- Chloroform – home invasion robbery favorite
- Mercury – needs to be mixed with other chemicals
- Cyanide – one teasponn = death in a few minutes
- Aconite – the "saliva of Cerberus"
- Silver Nitrate – turns you blue
- Thallium – tasteless, odorless, but causes alopecia
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