Education In the CSI episode “Burked,” one of the featured analysts was a forensic entomologist. Forensic entomologists apply their knowledge of insects to a variety of investigative purposes, such as estimating the time since a person has died (Investigating Forensics). Forensic entomologists can also apply their knowledge to establish a connection between the victim and a suspect, or to determine the geographic location of the victim’s death. Other responsibilities of forensic entomologists include studying the climate of the crime scene, deduce whether or not insects found at the scene are native to the surrounding environment, and properly handling all entomological evidence found at the scene in order to ensure admissibility in court.
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Though poisonous substances have been studied and used for thousands of years, the field of forensic toxicology, including techniques used to detect toxins in the body, experienced significant advancements in the nineteenth century. In 1814, Mathieu Orfila, considered the founder of forensic toxicology, organized poisons into six classes that were characterized by their effects, and found that toxins must somehow enter the blood in order to take effect (Levine). In 1836, British chemist James Marsh developed the Marsh Test, which was used to test for traces of arsenic in the human body (Timeline: Chemistry and Forensic Science). In 1851, Jean Servais Stas developed a method of testing for nicotine in the human body, a method that was later modified and elaborated upon by F.J. Otto, which led to the development of the Stas-Otto …show more content…
In 1840, Marie LaFarge was convicted for the murder of her husband after chemists performed toxicological tests on his gastric contents and found traces of arsenic in his body. The case was one of the first to use toxicological evidence in court to convict a suspect (Visible Proofs). In the 1990s, forensic toxicology was vital to solving the case of Carol Hellar. It was previously assumed that her death was brought on by the medication she was taking for her bipolar disorder until toxicology testing revealed that she was poisoned with ethylene glycol. The investigation that followed led to her husband Dennis’s eventual confession that he poisoned her
Though poisonous substances have been studied and used for thousands of years, the field of forensic toxicology, including techniques used to detect toxins in the body, experienced significant advancements in the nineteenth century. In 1814, Mathieu Orfila, considered the founder of forensic toxicology, organized poisons into six classes that were characterized by their effects, and found that toxins must somehow enter the blood in order to take effect (Levine). In 1836, British chemist James Marsh developed the Marsh Test, which was used to test for traces of arsenic in the human body (Timeline: Chemistry and Forensic Science). In 1851, Jean Servais Stas developed a method of testing for nicotine in the human body, a method that was later modified and elaborated upon by F.J. Otto, which led to the development of the Stas-Otto …show more content…
In 1840, Marie LaFarge was convicted for the murder of her husband after chemists performed toxicological tests on his gastric contents and found traces of arsenic in his body. The case was one of the first to use toxicological evidence in court to convict a suspect (Visible Proofs). In the 1990s, forensic toxicology was vital to solving the case of Carol Hellar. It was previously assumed that her death was brought on by the medication she was taking for her bipolar disorder until toxicology testing revealed that she was poisoned with ethylene glycol. The investigation that followed led to her husband Dennis’s eventual confession that he poisoned her