Poison, Detection and the Victorian Imagination

Ian Burney, Bertrand Taithe, Roger Cooter , Carolyn Steedman

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English

Manchester Univ. Press
02 July 2012

Biography; True crime; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900; History of medicine

Series: Encounters: Cultural Histories

This fascinating book looks at the phenomenon of murder and poisoning in the nineteenth century. Focusing on the case of William Palmer, a medical doctor who in 1856 was convicted of murder by poisoning, it examines how his case baffled toxicologists, doctors, detectives and judges. The investigation commences with an overview of the practice of toxicology in the Victorian era, and goes on to explore the demands imposed by legal testimony on scientific work to convict criminals. In addressing Palmer's trial, Burney focuses on the testimony of Alfred Swaine Taylor, a leading expert on poisons, and integrates the medical, legal and literary evidence to make sense of the trial itself and the sinister place of poison in wider Victorian society. Ian Burney has produced an exemplary work of cultural history, mixing a keen understanding of the contemporary social and cultural landscape with the scientific and medical history of the period. -- .

By: Ian Burney
Series edited by: Bertrand Taithe, Roger Cooter, Carolyn Steedman
Other: Rebecca Mortimer
Imprint: Manchester Univ. Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 138mm, Spine: 12mm
Weight: 268g
ISBN: 9780719087783
ISBN 10: 0719087783
Series: Encounters: Cultural Histories
Pages: 204
Publication Date: 02 July 2012
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Introduction 1. Poison and the Victorian imagination 2. Disciplining poison 3. Plain matters of fact: making and representing toxicological knowledge 4. The crime of the age: the case of William Palmer 5. The travails of poison hunting Index -- .

Ian Burney is a Senior Lecturer at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine at the University of Manchester

Reviews for Poison, Detection and the Victorian Imagination

The research is impeccable, and the quotes from Victorian periodicals and newspapers add a great deal to the book. Catherine Ramsdell, Pop Matters, 31/08/2012 -- .