Historical Toxicology (OLD TIMEY POISONS) with Deborah Blum

Metal poisons. Odorless ones. Toxic plants. Iocane powder, arsenic, old lace, poisons as self-defense, black mirrors, Aqua Tofanas, movie myths, and the start of testing for that which ails or kills you: we’ve got Historical Toxicology with Pulitzer Prize-winning science author & chemistry connoisseur Deborah Blum. She wrote the beloved “Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York” and takes us through a spooky walk in time, when chemistry was magic and homicide was an easier feat.
Visit Deborah Blum’s website (deborahblum.com) and follow her on Instagram (instagram.com/deborahblum7)
Buy her deborahblum.com/books including The Poison Squad and The Poisoner’s Handbook on Amazon (amazon.com/stores/Deborah-Blum/author/B000AQ3O3E) or Bookshop.org (bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=%22Deborah+B…)
Donations went to World Central Kitchen (wck.org) and Earthjustice (earthjustice.org)
More episode sources and links (alieward.com/ologies/historicaltoxicology)
Other episodes you may enjoy: Spooktober: Topics to Startle and Love (alieward.com/ologies/spooktober), Toxinology (JELLYFISH VENOM) (alieward.com/ologies/toxinology), Medusology (JELLYFISH) (alieward.com/ologies/medusology), Alligator Ecotoxicology (GATOR POISONS) (alieward.com/ologies/alligatorecotoxicology), Environmental Toxicology (POISONS + TRAIN DERAILMENT) (alieward.com/ologies/environmentaltoxicology), Conotoxinology (CONE SNAIL VENOM) (alieward.com/ologies/conotoxinology), Scorpiology (SCORPIONS) (alieward.com/ologies/scorpiology), Kalology (BEAUTY STANDARDS) (alieward.com/ologies/kalology), Victimology (CRIME VICTIMS) (alieward.com/ologies/victimology), Witchology (WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT) (alieward.com/ologies/witchology), Mycology (MUSHROOMS) (alieward.com/ologies/mycology), Foraging Ecology (EATING WILD PLANTS) (alieward.com/ologies/foragingecology)
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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions (maitlandaudio.com) and Jake Chaffee (jecmusic.com)
Managing Director: Susan Hale
Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth
Transcripts by Aveline Malek
Website by Kelly R. Dwyer (kellyrdwyer.com/photo)
Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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