Toxicology of Poisons

Toxicology is the scientific study of chemicals, poisons in particular, on humans and other living things. The studies involve the detection and treatment of poisons, as well as the effects that these chemicals have on the body.

Although poisons have been studied and written about since the 9th century, the true origin of more modern Toxicology stems back to the early 1800's when a man named Mathieu Orfila produced a scientific work titled "Traité des poisons" (aka "Toxicologie générale"). Orfila analyzed the effects of poison on humans and created a method of detecting the presence of arsenic within murder victims. His book discussed the techniques he devised, and soon became a commonly used guideline for murder cases in which the use of poison was suspected.

One of the first cases to utilize Orfila's discoveries occurred in 1840 when Marie LaFarge was accused of poisoning her husband. When investigators were unable to find any traces of arsenic within the corpse, Orfila was called in to personally run some tests. He found the evidence the prosecution was looking for, and LaFarge was found guilty of murder.

The primary study of toxicology concerns the dosage of poison used in any situation. Almost every substance is thought to have the potential to be poisonous given the right circumstances, but whether or not it becomes dangerous depends on the amount of poison involved. This concept was originally devised by one of the first major experts in the field of toxicology, a man known as Paracelsus, who created a well known maxim that has been revised to say, "The dose makes the poison." Simply put, the dosage is the primary determining factor in whether or not any substance is toxic and in how harmful it will be to a living organism.

Modern toxicologists often work with coroners or medical examiners when an autopsy is being performed on a person who is a suspected poison victim. Toxicologists also provide drug testing services for various purposes, such as determining if a job applicant uses any illegal substances or if an athlete has ingested steroids to enhance their performance. The work they do offers a unique insight into the chemicals found inside a human or any other living creature and into the effects those chemicals have on their host.

Purchase Museum Tickets
Family Page
Make a Difference
Become an Investigator
Visit our Crime Library
Join our Blog