Opening up and probing around the medicinal cupboards and crypts of history Where I work there is a very large glass cabinet in one lone hallway filled with old stained bottles, rusted archaic tools of the trade, snappy advertisements and pictures from over a century ago that many just pass without a backward glance. Others may walk on by that trove of medical history but I could happily stand there all day staring at the corked green and blue vials (no doubt containing toxic ingredients that were thought at one time as healthful), vintage promises from "headaches be gone pills" to "cures for common stomach ailments" and jars of pinkish powders with faded out labels all the time thinking to myself "if only these items could talk and tell us their stories, what amazing things we could learn". It seems I can't help myself to visit that curious old display atleast once a night, it has become like a wise complex friend I want to know everything about. It's astounding to think how far the medical field along with specialities have come but at the same time, that dusty ignored cabinet is a sad reminder of today's society and mindset. It seems history (good or bad) is being forgotten or neglected more and more to be replaced with electronic noise or anyone willing to look up or around. That is a terrible thought but thankfully we still have intrepid authors who see the importance to share the mysterious past (and less than glamourous tragic tales) before it's too late that can all serve as cautionary stories or pure entertainment for the curious. I fall into that second category and Ms Herman's newest release (The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul) has certainly found a nice dark place among my special shelves of recommendations. In this fast-paced book, Ms Herman opens and probes around the medicinal cupboard of history with a detective's eye for clues and an advisor of a real-life physician at her side to examine the possible causes of unexplained deaths of historic figures and ultimately question if the times and firmly held beliefs within the eras they lived hastened their demise or something more sinister may be the answer we all should seek. From kings' mistresses to brazen reporters, every body contains an enlightening case to study as many names are introduced with a light biography, soon followed by a summary of the contemporary postmortem (complete with quotes from the individuals in the rooms conducting their own final investigations and preserving any possible needed testimonies) and finally a modern diagnosis. Although hard to put down in parts The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul did, unfortunately, stray out into the gossipy realm for this reader and certain chapters were more convincing with the "modern diagnosis" sections than others. I was also disappointed to notice an odd absence of cases from the late 19th century to early 20th century versus the earlier centuries discussed at length and I'm not sure if the ending had a hidden agenda or they just needed it as filler. Still, this is one non-fiction title to recommend and who knows if more books were written about these subjects, we all could someday look up and stare at the dusty glass cabinets in lone hallways instead of just walking on by. With thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for kindly sending me an advanced copy of The Royal Art of Poison: Filthy Palaces, Fatal Cosmetics, Deadly Medicine, and Murder Most Foul -EGP/July 2018 Comments are closed.
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