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The Century of the Detective #1C
Proof of Poison
Spine faded and creased, bookseller's marks, marking to page edges.
- GenresNonfictionHistory
206 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
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38 people want to read
About the author
Jürgen Thorwald
60 books95 followersJürgen Thorwald was a German writer, journalist and historian known for his works describing the history of forensic medicine and of World War II.
Thorwald was a native of Solingen, Rhenish Prussia, and attended the University of Cologne. He started his career in 1933 in Nazi Germany, writing for publications such as Die Braune Post ("The Brown Mail"), the SS journal Das Schwarze Korps ("The Black Corps") and the NSDAP paper National-Zeitung. During the war he worked as a propaganda writer focusing on the Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine and the general German war effort.
After the war, he used the pseudonym Jürgen Thorwald in order to be able to work under Allied occupation. In 1947, he legally adopted the new name.
Thorwald's book 'The Century of the Detective' was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1966 in Best Fact Crime category, but he lost to Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood'. In 1984 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Thorwald died in Lugano, Switzerland in 2006. He was 90 years old.
Thorwald was a native of Solingen, Rhenish Prussia, and attended the University of Cologne. He started his career in 1933 in Nazi Germany, writing for publications such as Die Braune Post ("The Brown Mail"), the SS journal Das Schwarze Korps ("The Black Corps") and the NSDAP paper National-Zeitung. During the war he worked as a propaganda writer focusing on the Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine and the general German war effort.
After the war, he used the pseudonym Jürgen Thorwald in order to be able to work under Allied occupation. In 1947, he legally adopted the new name.
Thorwald's book 'The Century of the Detective' was nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award in 1966 in Best Fact Crime category, but he lost to Truman Capote's 'In Cold Blood'. In 1984 he was awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany. Thorwald died in Lugano, Switzerland in 2006. He was 90 years old.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 3, 2015
Another book Of Jurgen T's
I have come across is
"PROOF OF POISON".
Poison was the perfect way of committing murder
until science had made advances in
the study of anatomy,
for so long an outlawed area of investigation and study,
and the effects on the body of various poisons.
These skills were coming into their own in the 19th century
and in this book J.T. gives us a fascinating history
of the progress of science in the courts
in proving that poison had been the cause of death
and finally charges could be pressed,
after a bit of sleuthing !!
A long journey from centuries
of easy disposing
of one's enemy/ies.
Ancient Rome was rife with such deaths,
as probably were MOST places
where a knowledge of poisonous substances
had grown through bitter experiences.
The Australian Aborigines
tested unknown foods on the sensitive parts of their bodies.
eg. the skin under the armpit.
If there was no inflammation,
they progressed
until the substance was applied to the bottom lip.
If there was no allergic reaction
then a small amount would be eaten.
I have come across is
"PROOF OF POISON".
Poison was the perfect way of committing murder
until science had made advances in
the study of anatomy,
for so long an outlawed area of investigation and study,
and the effects on the body of various poisons.
These skills were coming into their own in the 19th century
and in this book J.T. gives us a fascinating history
of the progress of science in the courts
in proving that poison had been the cause of death
and finally charges could be pressed,
after a bit of sleuthing !!
A long journey from centuries
of easy disposing
of one's enemy/ies.
Ancient Rome was rife with such deaths,
as probably were MOST places
where a knowledge of poisonous substances
had grown through bitter experiences.
The Australian Aborigines
tested unknown foods on the sensitive parts of their bodies.
eg. the skin under the armpit.
If there was no inflammation,
they progressed
until the substance was applied to the bottom lip.
If there was no allergic reaction
then a small amount would be eaten.
August 8, 2020
Read this book from the Hillsboro town library around 1969. Learned a lot about chemistry and poisons. Great supplement to my high school science classes.
He traces the history of poisons from metallic, thru chemical compounds, vegetable alkaloids, animal alkaloids. Each step successively more difficult for the forensic scientists to track down in a decomposing body.
He traces the history of poisons from metallic, thru chemical compounds, vegetable alkaloids, animal alkaloids. Each step successively more difficult for the forensic scientists to track down in a decomposing body.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews