The Inheritor's Powder A Tale of Arsenic, Murder, and the New Forensic Science

by Hempel, Sandra

• ISBN13: 9780393239713
• ISBN10: 0393239713
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2013-10-15
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company

Summary

In the first half of the nineteenth century, an epidemic swept Europe: arsenic poisoning. Available at any corner shop, arsenic was so frequently used by potential beneficiaries of wills that it was nicknamed "the inheritor's powder." But it was difficult to prove that a victim had been poisoned, let alone to identify the food or drink that had been contaminated. Then came a riveting case. In 1833, George Bodle, a wealthy landowner from outside London, died after drinking his morning coffee. The investigation, which gained international attention, brought together a colorful cast of characters: a doctor who turned detective; a drunken, bumbling policeman; and James Marsh, an unknown but brilliant chemist who, assigned the Bodle case, attempted to create a test that could pinpoint the presence of arsenic. The Inheritor's Powder brings together a gripping story, a fascinating slice of history, and an unforgettable foray into the origins of forensic science.