Before getting too deep into detail, this chapter will give you a broad overview of poison and poisoning, including types of exposure, side effects and many wicked stories of past poisoners.
The poison basics: sources, symptoms and treatments
We’ll start with the sources of poison, covering mineral, vegetable, animal and man-made substances. These chapters will also explain how poisons work and the signs and symptoms of poisoning. A further source of poisoning – medical conditions caused by deficiencies, or excesses, of substances needed for the normal functioning of the body – will also be discussed, followed by a chapter on treatments.
The poison problems: at work and in the home
There are countless problems caused by specific poisonous substances, and we will discuss many of them here, from poisonous pigments and dangerous dyestuffs to occupational hazards, including fatal farming; from frightening foodstuffs to household horrors; from murderous make-up to the noxious nursery.
The ultimate poison legacy: catastrophes, accidents, murder and suicide
This chilling group of chapters covers the more gory details: catastrophes and accidents with poisons, intentional poisonings (including murder and warfare), self-inflicted poisonings, including abortion and, finally, suicide.
The poison penalties: uses, abuses and consequences
Delving even deeper, this final group of chapters begins with the medicinal uses of poisonous substances and the poisoning that results from misuse and abuse. We’ll also look at the lessons learned: medicines that have been restricted or withdrawn from use due to their unacceptable side effects. Finally, we’ll discuss the legalities that affect or have affected the sale, supply and use of poisonous substances.
Further Information
For those readers who would like more detail, this final section includes a series of appendices that list the full names of the living species mentioned in the text and their poisons, more information on natural dyestuffs, a more detailed cellular-level explanation of how poisons actually work, effects of deficiency and excess of vitamins and minerals in the body and a lethal lexicon. Finally, there is a list of abbreviations, a glossary of medical terms, references for each chapter, a bibliography and a list of websites for further reading, followed by the index.
Be prepared to see the world in a totally different (and perhaps more paranoid!) light by the time you’ve finished reading about the fascinating world of poisons.