When Arsenic Poisoning Met Toxicology Testing

People used to get rid of inconvenient family members quite easily by putting arsenic in food until a reliable chemical test for the poison was developed in 1836. Still, it took some time for word to get around, and by then Charles Lafarge was dead. His young wife, Marie Lefarge, was arrested on suspicion of murder. It was a sensational trial, with plenty of evidence.

1. People knew Marie was unhappy with her marriage, since she found out the groom was not as wealthy as he had told her.

2. Charles became sick on several occasions after eating Marie's cooking.

3. A nurse had seen her put a powder into Charles' eggnog. She even took samples, which were positive for arsenic.

4. The rat poison Marie left out for the rats proved to be inert flour and water.

5. Charles' exhumed body tested positive for arsenic, although that happened after several inconclusive teats.

Yet many people thought Marie was railroaded due to the new chemical tests that had yet to stand the test of time. Read what happened in the case of Marie Lafarge at Amusing Planet.