The Poisoner's Handbook involved many stories of dramatic poison murder cases. Medical examineer Charles Norris and toxicologist Alexander Gettler investigated the mysterious murders. Poison was a common use of killing during this era. Some of the poisons commonly used were: chloroform, wood alcohol, cyanides, arsenic, and mercury. Norris and Gettler go against unbeatable odds to solve these mysteries and decrease poison use during this deadly time. Key Idea 1 The basic chloroform molecule consists of five atoms- on of carbon, one of hydrogen, and three of chlorine. Autopsies showed that chloroform left the mucous membranes of the stomach, mouth, and intestines reddened and inflamed. The poison chloroform was so toxic it visibly softened
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Cyanides presented itself as useful in pesticides, explosives, engraving, tempering steel, as a disinfecting agent, in creating colorful dyes, and in making nylon. Although being very useful, cyanide was also very dangerous. Cyanide was also very dangerous. Cyanide left an obvious trail of evidence if used to poison. The corpse would have a bruising discoloration, and a warning perfume. Cyanide carried a faint, fruity scent of almonds. Because of these reasons, most murderers avoided cyanide and it was more popular as a suicide …show more content…
The warmer aboverground temperatures and the decrease in pressure allow mercury to take the form of a liquidlike metal. When a drop of mercury is dropped on a finger, it breaked into smaller drops. These smaller drops if touched again will break into ever-smaller drops. This self containing tensions helps keeps pure mercury from being easily absorbed by the body. Mercury salts however, work faster and cause more injury because living tissues tend to soak up salty liquids. Mercury biochloride is a chlorine-based salt. This makes the absorption of mercury salts famously dangerous. In the 1920s, mercury biochloride was so corrosive it could destroy tissue to the point that teeth loosened in the mouth, and the stomach eroded into a mass of bleeding ulcers. Mercury despite its poisonous traits, were sold as bedbug killers and mixed in with laxatives, antiseptics, and diurectics. The benefits and the murderous potential of mercury biochloride were well known. Conclusion Norris and Gettler solved many of these mysteries and beat some of the “unbeatable” odds set by society. Together they discovered new ways to find traces of these poisons in autopsies in human organs and corpse. Chloroform, wood alcohol, cyanides, arsenic, and mercury stood little chance against the determination of Norris and Gettler to decrease the use of these
Cyanides presented itself as useful in pesticides, explosives, engraving, tempering steel, as a disinfecting agent, in creating colorful dyes, and in making nylon. Although being very useful, cyanide was also very dangerous. Cyanide was also very dangerous. Cyanide left an obvious trail of evidence if used to poison. The corpse would have a bruising discoloration, and a warning perfume. Cyanide carried a faint, fruity scent of almonds. Because of these reasons, most murderers avoided cyanide and it was more popular as a suicide …show more content…
The warmer aboverground temperatures and the decrease in pressure allow mercury to take the form of a liquidlike metal. When a drop of mercury is dropped on a finger, it breaked into smaller drops. These smaller drops if touched again will break into ever-smaller drops. This self containing tensions helps keeps pure mercury from being easily absorbed by the body. Mercury salts however, work faster and cause more injury because living tissues tend to soak up salty liquids. Mercury biochloride is a chlorine-based salt. This makes the absorption of mercury salts famously dangerous. In the 1920s, mercury biochloride was so corrosive it could destroy tissue to the point that teeth loosened in the mouth, and the stomach eroded into a mass of bleeding ulcers. Mercury despite its poisonous traits, were sold as bedbug killers and mixed in with laxatives, antiseptics, and diurectics. The benefits and the murderous potential of mercury biochloride were well known. Conclusion Norris and Gettler solved many of these mysteries and beat some of the “unbeatable” odds set by society. Together they discovered new ways to find traces of these poisons in autopsies in human organs and corpse. Chloroform, wood alcohol, cyanides, arsenic, and mercury stood little chance against the determination of Norris and Gettler to decrease the use of these