Charles norris was new york citys first chief medical examiner and alexander gettler was toxicologist who worked under him. Equal parts true crime, twentiethcentury history, and science thriller, the poisoners handbook is a vicious, pageturning story that reads more like raymond chandler than madame curiethe new york observer a fascinating jazz age tale of chemistry and detection, poison and murder, the poisoners handbook is a pageturning account of a forgotten era. Drama unfolds case by case as the heroes of the poisoners handbook chief medical examiner charles norris and toxicologist alexander gettlerinvestigate a family mysteriously stricken bald, barnum and baileys famous blue man, factory workers with crumbling bones, a diner serving poisoned pies, and many others. Charles norris, new york citys first chief medical examiner, in a laboratory date createdpublished. The two scientists in my book, charles norris and alexander gettler, proved in 1928 that the bones of people exposed to radium became radioactive and stayed that way for years. It follows the careers of charles norris, an nyc medical examiner, and alexander gettler, a toxicologist, who modernized and completely changed the game when it comes to. These people are for real, not like the old ouincy, me television show of long ago.
The poisoners handbook book chicago public library. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age new. Detectives suspect murder, but charles norris and alexander gettler prove that the carbon monoxide gas from travias stove had poisoned her to death. The poisoner s handbook by deborah blum scientific. Chemistry and forensic science in america american. It follows the careers of charles norris, an nyc medical examiner, and alexander gettler, a toxicologist, who modernized and completely changed the game when it comes to forensic toxicology from about 19181936. Jan 28, 2014 finding photographs, old film footage, all the images they used. Alexander oscar gettler august, 1883 august 4, 1968 was a toxicologist with the office of chief medical examiner of the city of new york ocme between 1918 and 1959, and the first forensic chemist to be employed in this capacity by a u. Alexander gettler was chief medical examiner charles norris top forensic chemist, and strongly believed that wood alcohol was going to become the most dangerous poison once prohibition took effect.
Jan 07, 2014 some credit for this goes to pioneering main characters charles norris, a crusading, visionary new york city medical examiner, and alexander gettler, who ran his toxicology labs. Feb 24, 2010 in her new book, the poisoners handbook. These two doctors, charles norris and alexander gettler, labored at a time when toxicology was in its infancy and lethal poisons like cyanide were. Together, they began setting the standard for forensic work and police detection. Pulitzer prizewinning science writer deborah blum has created a larger story structured like a set of short stories in which the villains are the poisons and the heroes are dr. There is not a lot of information directly on alexander gettler on the web. However, the book is the exact contrary to the otherwise assumed howto guide on killing with poisons and toxins. Mar 09, 2010 deborah blums history of the birth of forensic science details the work of charles norris, new york citys first chief medical examiner, and alexander gettler, norris head toxicologist. In 1918, new york city appointed charles norris, bellevue hospitals chief pathologist, as its first scientifically trained medical examiner. American experience the poisoners handbook tv episode.
Equal parts true crime, twentiethcentury history, and science thriller, the poisoners handbook is a vicious, pageturning story that reads more like raymond chandler than madame curie the new york observer a fascinating jazz age tale of chemistry and detection, poison and murder, the poisoners handbook is a pageturning account of a forgotten era. That began to change in new york city with the appointment of charles norris, a wealthy, ethical and determined doctor who then hired a man, alexander gettler, as toxicologist, who shared norriss ethos and work habits. Apr 22, 2020 however, the book is the exact contrary to the otherwise assumed howto guide on killing with poisons and toxins. Norris was new york citys first medical examiner, and gettler was his toxicologist. The poisoners handbook is absolutely fascinating and not for the faint of heart. Charles norris and his righthand man, toxicologist dr. Alexander gettler, toxicologist and forensic chemist, and dr. The story of forensic medicine at the start of the 20th century, poisoning was one of the easiest crimes to get away with. The heroes of the story are the new york city medical examiner dr.
Discuss chief medical examiner charles norris and toxicologist alexander gettler. Blum illuminates these tales of norris and gettler and their era with a. The book did, in fact, explore alexander gettler and his groundbreaking toxicology experiments more than charles norris administrative skills, which is contrary to what the blurb led me to believe. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. And if it werent for the work of two new york detectives chief medical examiner charles norris and toxicologist alexander gettler modern forensics wouldnt exist as it does today. In the early 20th century, the average american medicine cabinet was a wouldbe poisoners treasure chest, with radioactive radium, thallium, and morphine in everyday products. This book summary follows the investigations of the new york citys first professional medical examiner, charles norris and his partner in crime, alexander gettler. The program started with a maid walking through an apartment setting going down steps with her cleaning products. However, with the appointment of chief medical examiner charles norris in 1918.
The two scientists in my book, charles norris and alexander gettler, proved in 1928 that the bones of people exposed to radium became radioactiveand. These two learned, fiercely dedicated men fought city hall and the establishment, in bringing forensic medicine into the twentieth century, and to bring respect to the profession that it deserved. Alexander gettler, wood alcohol, and prohibition booked. The pace of industrial innovation increased, but the scientific knowledge to detect and. Charles norris is born in hoboken, nj to an aristocratic family of scholars and bankers. Alexander gettler, wood alcohol, and prohibition booked for. In 1918, charles norris was appointed as the first chief medical examiner in new york city. New york citys first chief medical examiner, and alexander gettler, the. Chemistry and forensic science in america american experience.
Shares the story of how the appointment of charles norris as chief medical examiner in new york in 1918 dramatically slowed the incidence of murder by poisoning, and looks at how norris worked together with toxicologist alexander gettler to investigate chemistryrelated deaths and disorders and to establish the discipline of forensics. Together with toxicologist alexander gettler, the duo set the justice system on fire with their trailblazing scientific detective work, triumphing over seemingly unbeatable odds to become the pioneers of forensic chemistry and the gatekeepers of justice. There existed in history real people just like them, including charles norris and alexander gettler, the heroes of the poisoners handbook. As soon as he was hired, norris began overhauling his department and he. Group reads goodreads meet your next favorite book. The police department ignored the conclusions of norris and charged travia with murder. In what ways did charles norris and alexander gettler use science to fight science, especially in the case of prohibition, leaded gasoline, and radium.
Jan 01, 2010 the poisoners handbook is absolutely fascinating and not for the faint of heart. Charles norris, the blueblooded son of a banking power couple, who could easily have chosen a life of leisure over one of public service, and his appointee alexander. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the poisoners handbook. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age new york, the pulitzer prizewinning science writer profiles the two men, new york city chief medical examiner charles norris and toxicologist alexander gettler, who pioneered forensic medicine in the u. The two scientists in my book, charles norris and alexander gettler, proved in 1928 that the bones of people exposed to radium became radioactiveand stayed that way for years. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age new york kindle edition by blum, deborah. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age new york is. Sep 23, 2010 forensic science was not always csistyle teamwork. Coming from bellevue hospital in new york, norris brings with him talented young chemist alexander. Dec 18, 2017 within this context, the book provides a lively description of medical doctor charles norris and his associate, phd chemist alexander gettler from the early 1900s to the late 1930s in their battles to combat both overt murder as well as more general chemical poisoning of the environment. These two doctors, charles norris and alexander gettler, labored at a time when toxicology was in its infancy and lethal poisons like cyanide were both readily available and largely undetectable. At first glance, the poisoners handbook by deborah blum will merit a second look at the title and a third thought at reading it. However, it was also a time when murder by poison flourished.
The heroes of the story are new york city medical examiner charles norris and forensic chemist alexander gettler. The poisoners handbook by deborah blum the carefree spirit of the jazz age included music, dance, corruption, prohibition, and modern technology. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age. One teaspoon of wood alcohol is enough to cause blindness. With iva baumanova, chris bowers, daniel brown, jiri cap. Deborah blums history of the birth of forensic science details the work of charles norris, new york citys first chief medical examiner, and alexander gettler, norris head toxicologist. Charles norris, new york citys first chief medical examiner, in a laboratory. Norris, along with his lead toxicologist alexander gettler, made great strides in the study of toxicology, developing new tests to detect different poisons, even in small amounts.
As you can guess, forensic science was in its infancy at the time. Alexander gettler, toxicologist and forensic chemist. Charles norris, the chief medical examiner of new york city, and alexander gettler, the chief toxicologist. Author deborah blums new book, the poisoners handbook, follows. The poisoners handbook centers around the careers of two scientists working out of new yorks bellevue hospital. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age new york. Wiener to the office of the chief medical examiner made this period a golden era for forensic medicine. Forensic science was not always csistyle teamwork deborah. In 2014, pbss american experience released a film based on the poisoners handbook. The poisoners handbook details the work of new york citys first scientifically trained medical examiner, charles norris, and his partner, alexander gettler, the citys first toxicologist.
Charles norris, new york citys first chief medical examiner, in a laboratory created published between 1920 and 1932. Together with toxicologist alexander gettler, the duo set the justice system on fire. In the poisoners handbook, blum explores how charles norris and alexander gettler laid the foundations for the modern field of forensic science in new york in the 1920s. Within this context, the book provides a lively description of medical doctor charles norris and his associate, phd chemist alexander gettler from the early 1900s to the late 1930s in their battles to combat both overt murder as well as more general chemical poisoning of the environment. How was science and, especially chemistry, changing the world of modern americans. Poisoners handbook shows forensic medicine, workers. Charles norris developed an early form of forensic medicine. This book focuses on charles norris, the new york city coroner, alexander gettler, mr norris lead chemist and harrison martland, the new jersey coroner. Charles norris is appointed as the new chief medical examiner for the city of new york. It offers an insiders view of how forensic science really works by walking readers through their investigations into notorious and mysterious poisonings. And they went to a lot of trouble to find actors who looked like the scientific heroes of my book, charles norris, the first chief new york city medical examiner, and alexander gettler, who was the citys first toxicologist. The book, about norris and alexander gettler, the citys first toxicologist, describes the. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Author deborah blum does cover his life and work more in the book, the poisoners handbook.
Charles norris and alexander gettler revolutionized criminal investigation and their techniques and findings on chemicals that were once untraceable in the. Finding photographs, old film footage, all the images they used. Her other books include the poisoners handbook, ghost hunters, love at. What was the historical context in which charles norris established the medical examiners office. Charles norris and alexander gettler revolutionized criminal investigation and their techniques and findings on chemicals that were once untraceable in the human body are still used by toxicologists to help solve mysterious deaths today. Drama unfolds case by case as the heroes of the poisoners handbookchief medical examiner charles norris and toxicologist alexander gettlerinvestigate a family mysteriously stricken bald, barnum and baileys famous blue man, factory workers with crumbling bones, a diner serving poisoned pies, and many others. In the early 20th century, the average american medicine cabinet was a wouldbe poisoners treasure chest.
Drama unfolds case by case as the heroes of the poisoners handbookchief medical examiner charles norris and toxicologist alexander gettler investigate a family mysteriously stricken bald, barnum and baileys famous blue man, factory workers with crumbling bones, a diner serving poisoned pies, and many others. Murder and the birth of forensic medicine in jazz age new york, follows two trailblazers of science charles norris, new york citys first chief medical. The poisoners handbook looks at two forensic science. Alexander gettler and, in 1938, the addition of dr. At travias trial in march, 1927, the forensic analysis of norris and chemist alexander gettler proved carbon monoxide gas from travias stove had poisoned her to death.
Nicotinethis was the first plant poison that scientists learned to detect in a human body. Through norris and gettlers stories, blum also narrates a number of important social and historical events, such as. Some credit for this goes to pioneering main characters charles norris, a crusading, visionary new york city medical examiner, and alexander gettler, who ran his toxicology labs. Oct 17, 2012 alexander gettler was chief medical examiner charles norris top forensic chemist, and strongly believed that wood alcohol was going to become the most dangerous poison once prohibition took effect. Alexander gettler to testify that carbon monoxide poisoning had caused the womans death. The best homework help for students seeking help on their essays, term papers, book. In what ways did charles norris and alexander gettler use science.
627 62 480 225 371 1235 1055 47 30 33 1406 1416 1365 1141 16 286 909 702 1224 1129 920 1071 1282 166 84 690 227 729 1240 1375 794 134 604 1073 867 275 1378 1261 419 1104