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 and “the inheritor’s powder. and ” 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.

The Inheritor’s Powder: A Tale of Arsenic, Murder, and the New Forensic Science PDF

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