Poisons: From Hemlock to Botox to the Killer Bean of Calabar

by Peter Macinnis

Book Overview

In the tradition of Salt and Stiff, a wide-ranging and provocative look-teeming with little-known facts and engaging stories-at a subject of the direst interest. Poisons permeate our world. They are... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559707615
• ISBN13: 9781559707619
• Release Date: May 2005
• Publisher: Arcade Publishing
• Length: 239 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

And Yet Humans Still Exist

In this very entertaining and authoritative book, the author discusses various types of poisons, their effects and their uses throughout the ages. Some of these discussions are rather technical, but readers who are less interested in these details and, as a result, fly over them will not lose track of the book's main story lines. Since it appears that various poisons can be found in so many different places in nature, it's a wonder that the human race has managed to survive. Although this is a serious book about a serious subject, the author's choice of words renders the prose at times tongue-in-cheek and at times downright humorous. Complete with a glossary of poisons as well as a bibliography, this book should be enjoyed by anyone.

What's Your Poison?

Life has its paradoxes, ironies, incomprehensible mysteries - and admittedly some are heartrending. We want to know - everything. But this book from its very precise and accurate description on the DJ makes it clear - we're not in for a tome about poison from the beginning of time to this moment. It is meant to be a delightful mix (as a great mystery novel can be) of information, science, history, and entertainment. And its such a compellingly wonderful read as well as a beautifully designed book. Just great!!

This book'll kill ya!

Poisons have been a part of our lives since the earliest days. They are in the air, the water, plants, and the soil. This is not referring to pollution but to naturally occurring poisons. In this fascinating book, Peter Macinnis weaves together history, medicine, chemistry and other disciplines to tell a story of poisons. This book is rife with interesting anecdotes. The variety of hemlock that reportedly was drunk by Socrates was also served as a sandwich to an unsuspecting Dad in England. His unassuming children thought it was parsley, a close relative. How much did ergot rye poisoning contribute to the Salem witch hysteria? Why did so many people of the nineteenth century take arsenic as `medicinal' purposes? The craftsmen who made headwear from felt that was bonded by a mercury compound inevitably suffered mercury poisoning. One symptom of such poisoning is insanity, leaving us with the phrase `Mad As A Hatter'. Poisons have been used in medicine, as murder weapons, pest control, cosmetology and weapons of war and terror and they still are. The part on nineteenth century food additives still keeps me awake at night. The author includes a long bibliography, lending some authoity to his facts. He is careful not to bog the reader down in too much scientific detail but does include enough to satisfy the mildly curious and provide a launching point for more research. This book was a (macabre) delight to read.

An I Couldn't Put It Down Book

I don't see it, but this book should be labeled -- 'For those with a touch of the macabre." Except that the show is over, this would have been the Adams family's favorite bed time reader. As with the show, we have a fascination with sinister deadly things - so long as they are carefully kept at arms length. This book keeps is a delightful mix of chemistry and anecdotes written in a light hearted humorous manner, for instance: 'Marijuana makes its active ingredient to discourage cattle from eating it, because cattle, unlike humans, do not like being stoned.' This book is so fascinating that I was left hungering for more. Specifically Mr. Macinnis, do a short anecdote on Erwin Rommel and the poison he was given to drink as a result of the attempt on Hitler's life. What was it, was it fast and easy as some reports say he was promised, or a very bad ten or twenty minutes? And what about the L pills reportedly given to spies and agents for use if captured. And by the way what about Himmler and Goring. Why there's probably enough for a second volume.

Very Interesting for the layman and chemist alike!

The author gives all sorts of anecdotes about poisons, toxins, and various other chemicals that are dangerous to humans and animals. Some of the stories he weaves throughout the text are utterly absorbing and even mildly shocking! I came away from this book even more convinced that if I definitely don't want to die from poison of any kind, any brand, or derived from any plant! The slow, agonizing death that occurs from poison has been largely overlooked by society, and this is a perplexing oversight. Poisonous substances are truly fascinating, but dreadful when ingested, inhaled, or injected into a man or woman. A very well-written, superbly documented, and engaging book. I highly recommend it!