Drugs poisons and chemistry

Synopsis

Drugs, Poisons, and Chemistry traces the fascinating history of forensic toxicology. Although forensic chemists and toxicologists are concerned primarily with drugs and poisons, they examine different types of evidence. Forensic chemists in crime labs work to determine whether potential evidence might be an illegal substance and examine samples-including fire debris, soil, paint, glass, explosives, and fibers-obtained from crime scenes. Toxicologists examine blood, saliva, urine, and feces evidence, using analytical chemistry to identify chemical traces and unmetabolized drugs, often working in labs associated with a medical examiner's office or a hospital. The tools and techniques used by forensic chemists-ranging from the familiar, such as the microscope, to the more obscure, such as the use of antibodies to detect toxins-are also discussed. Throughout the book, sidebars on notable cases, personnel, and a variety of forensics issues reinforce the text.