Editorial: Poisons and Antidotes

Abstract

From the dawn of recorded history human beings have exhibited a morbid fascination with the subject
of poisoning. The word “poison” evokes an eerie instinctive paranoia, which defies description.
Poisoning is often associated with excruciating painful death. The ancient Greeks used poisoning as a
legal method of execution for condemned criminals and philosophers. Socrates was forced to drink oil
of hemlock (which contains a toxic alkaloid coniine) after he was condemned to death by his
countrymen. Poisoning, particularly homicide, is a popular topic of fiction books.