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John Emsley, Poison and 'The Elements of Murder'

Fresh Air

Published July 25, 2005 at 12:00 AM EDT

In his new book The Elements of Murder: A History of Poison, chemist John Emsley chronicles cases of accidental and intentional use of lethal substances throughout the ages. Some say Beethoven and Mozart were poisoned to death.

Emsley won Brtain's Science Book Prize for his 1995 book Consumer's Good Chemical Guide. He was a researcher and lecturer in chemistry at London University for 20 years before becoming a popular science writer.