Wine in the history of poisoning Part 1

Do not read before dinner

Maybe you think that the concept of “style”, “school” and “classic” refers only to things like music and literature? From St. Petersburg School of Rock “,” a classic picaresque novel “,” neo-Gothic style “? In fact, the history of poisoning conceptualized in similar terms. Italian School of poisoning – subtle.

French – vulgar. Poisoned gloves or a key – a classic, but, say, a hyperactive strain of tuberculosis in the borsch (who poisoned Baron Wrangel) – fashioned kitsch. But the richest source of “classics poisoning” is a good old 19 th century England. The incredible availability of poisons, which appeared practice of life insurance and the lack of reliable ways to prove the facts of malicious poisonings in court creates a whole new wave of “domestic homicide”.


Evil Geniuses, by Arthur Conan Doyle’s imagination, or Wilkie Collins, who does not pale in comparison with the real serial killers of the time, such as Mary Ann Cotton, who committed suicide at least 15 people from among their children, husbands and relatives. Red wine, powerfully integrated into everyday life British propertied classes, was, along with cocoa, coffee and drugs, one of the most common ways of disguising the poison in the arsenal of Victorian poisoners. But in addition, the wine was toxic and of itself.

continue to Wine in the history of poisoning Part 2