Introduction

“The king of poisons,” “the poison of kings,” “inheritance powder.” As its various nicknames suggest, arsenic’s notoriety largely stems from its use as a murder weapon. But as we explore in this episode, the world of arsenic is much, much bigger than just as a plot device in an Agatha Christie novel, and it remains one of the most important environmental contaminants today. But how exactly does arsenic affect your body? When did people first start to use arsenic and for what purposes? Where does it have the most impact currently? And, of course, why was it so popular as a murder weapon? Tune in to hear the answers to these and many, many more questions about one of the most notorious poisons out there.

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