NCJ Number
14734
Journal
Criminologist Volume: 8 Issue: 30 Dated: (AUTUMN 1973) Pages: 3-12
Date Published
1973
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE HISTORY OF POISON DETECTION, SOME METHODS OF DETECTION, AND A REVIEW OF AUTOPSY CASES IN WHICH POISONS WERE DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF DEATH ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE AUTHOR REVIEWS THE BEGINNINGS OF POISON DETECTION TECHNIQUES, FROM THE MARY BLANDY CASE IN 1752 IN WHICH CRUDE ANALYSES OF ARSENIC WERE CARRIED OUT, TO MODERN TECHNIQUES SUCH AS GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY AND NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS. THREE TYPES OF CASES ARE OUTLINED. FIRST ARE THE CASES IN WHICH POISONING IS OBVIOUS. SECOND ARE CASES IN WHICH THERE IS NO SUGGESTION OF POISONING AND YET NO EXPLANATION FOR DEATH IS FOUND. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT THE THIRD TYPE IS THE MOST DIFFICULT. IN THESE CASES, NATURAL CAUSES FOR DEATH ARE FOUND, AND YET THROUGH AUTOPSY, THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF DEATH IS FOUND TO BE POISONING. EXAMPLES OF EACH OF THESE CASE TYPES ARE DESCRIBED. THE AUTHOR MAINTAINS THAT EVEN WITH MODERN AUTOPSY AND ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES, MANY CASES OF POISONING MAY REMAIN UNDISCOVERED.