Forensic Toxicology: Arsenic Poison
Glenda Cabrera
George Mason University Abstract
This paper will focus forensic toxicology. Starting off with the meaning of the two words; followed by the father of toxicology. This paper will more specifically focus on the effects that arsenic poison has on the human body. Also how often time it is confused with just being a common illness like food poison. But the most important is how it is undetectable until it’s too late and the body is undergoing an autopsy. It will close out with a true story of Florence Maybrick a Southern belle that was accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic. This “Maybrick Mystery” had everything from gossiping servants, to mutual infidelity, finical problems and a flirtatious young girl. The definition of toxicology and forensic toxicology: In Merriam-Webster toxicology is define as the study of poisonous chemicals, drugs, and other toxic substances having effect on living organisms. Now, given the definition of toxicology; forensic toxicology is defined by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology as the application of toxicology for legal purposes. (Levine & B, 1993) It is the field that …show more content…
The father of forensic toxicology Mathiey Orfila centered his study on arsenic because of the number of deaths that were going on that were unexplainable. Drug is a chemical or chemical mixture that is created to have one or more physiological and/or psychological effects on a person. Poison is a substance that when injected, inhaled, or absorbed has the chemical reaction to cause death or injury. Poison can be classify as intentional being that someone is giving it willing to a person to cause harm, unintentional is taking a substance or given a substance without the intent to cause harm. When it is a homicide by poison it is no visible signs but can be known by doing an
Glenda Cabrera
George Mason University Abstract
This paper will focus forensic toxicology. Starting off with the meaning of the two words; followed by the father of toxicology. This paper will more specifically focus on the effects that arsenic poison has on the human body. Also how often time it is confused with just being a common illness like food poison. But the most important is how it is undetectable until it’s too late and the body is undergoing an autopsy. It will close out with a true story of Florence Maybrick a Southern belle that was accused of poisoning her husband with arsenic. This “Maybrick Mystery” had everything from gossiping servants, to mutual infidelity, finical problems and a flirtatious young girl. The definition of toxicology and forensic toxicology: In Merriam-Webster toxicology is define as the study of poisonous chemicals, drugs, and other toxic substances having effect on living organisms. Now, given the definition of toxicology; forensic toxicology is defined by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology as the application of toxicology for legal purposes. (Levine & B, 1993) It is the field that …show more content…
The father of forensic toxicology Mathiey Orfila centered his study on arsenic because of the number of deaths that were going on that were unexplainable. Drug is a chemical or chemical mixture that is created to have one or more physiological and/or psychological effects on a person. Poison is a substance that when injected, inhaled, or absorbed has the chemical reaction to cause death or injury. Poison can be classify as intentional being that someone is giving it willing to a person to cause harm, unintentional is taking a substance or given a substance without the intent to cause harm. When it is a homicide by poison it is no visible signs but can be known by doing an