Book to Note

John Buckingham. Bitter Nemesis: The Intimate History of Strychnine. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2008. xix + 298 pp. $41.95.

Reviewed by Nicole Rietmann

In this compelling book John Buckingham investigates how the dangerous poison strychnine and its variants earned a reputation as miracle drugs, despite their inability to actually cure any of the ailments for which they were prescribed. Administering the drugs for every disorder from deafness to lead poisoning to cholera, druggists, physicians, and chemists realized only too late the fatal effects of strychnine, brucine, and nux vomica. A good portion of Bitter Nemesis focuses on several prominent cases involving strychnine deaths, both accidental and intentional. These cases show the alarming availability of the poison well into the 20th century, as well as strychnine’s rise as a popular murder weapon. Strychnine poisoning, aside from having a profound influence on the field of forensic science, also made its mark on literature, and Bitter Nemesis devotes several pages to an analysis of Agatha Christie’s detailed knowledge of poisons. Mixing science, history, and intriguing true accounts with his own touch of humor, Buckingham has created an enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in scientific history.