The Poisoner’s Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York

As Blum describes the numerous murder cases in The Poisoner’s Handbook, she borrows the writing style and tone of the crime fiction genre. Why does Blum choose to do this? How does it change the reader’s understanding of the text?

Blum describes how “industrial innovation” fundamentally altered American society, with the presence of chemicals and toxins becoming a fact of daily life for most Americans. Was this innovation harmful or beneficial for Americans in the 1920s? Use three specific chemicals discussed in the text as examples for your argument.

The Poisoner’s Handbook abounds with stories of poisoners. Choose three individuals and compare and contrast their stories. What motives drove these individuals to commit murder with poison? How did socioeconomic factors influence their decision?

Charles Norris argues that Prohibition ultimately drove more people to liquor rather than dissuading drinking. Why did Prohibition have the opposite of its intended effect of diminishing alcoholism?

Research the state of forensic chemistry today. How has forensic science changed since Alexander Gettler’s times? Do Gettler’s methods remain foundational for the science?

Blum describes Americans in the 1920s as being “addicted to poisons” (245). Do you believe this is still true? Have American consumer standards changed since the 1920s, or is the presence of toxic chemicals still a problem?

Blum structures The Poisoner’s Handbook so that each chapter is themed around a different poison: thallium, arsenic, carbon monoxide. Why does Blum choose to structure her book in this way? What effect does the book’s structure have on you as a reader?

A major debate discussed in The Poisoner’s Handbook is the ethics of the US government’s knowingly putting poison in illegal liquor. While Charles Norris argued that deaths stemming from such poisonings were the responsibility of the government, temperance advocates countered that individuals partaking in illegal drinking bore sole responsibility. Which side of the debate do you agree with?