Posted on 07/22/2005 9:26:13 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
...a study this week in The Lancet medical journal found high concentrations of arsenic in the king's hair and contends the severity and duration of his episodes of illness may have been caused by the toxic substance. The 18th-century king, under whose reign Britain mastered the oceans, defeated Napoleon and expanded its empire to superpower dimensions, was best remembered for the humiliating loss of the American colonies and for the periods when he lost his mind.
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Napoleon was poisoned: toxicological study (arsenic)
AFP on Yahoo | 6/4/05 | AFP - Strasbourg
Posted on 06/04/2005 11:06:03 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1416777/posts
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I thought it had been pretty well established that he had Acute Intermittent Porphyria.
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That's also mentioned in the article.
My pleasure.
A lot of that went on, and not just among the kings; some of the lesser royalty were also murdered in some way, though I would think poisoning was a method less easy to blame on any particular person. Conspiracies abounded.
British history ping
I saw a really good program on that a while back. I think it might have been on the Discovery Science channel.
Just a footnote...
I have read the entire 20 1/2 book 'Master and Commander' series which describes Medical Practice at about this time. My recollection is that Arsenic was frequently used as a 'curative' medicine.
Arsenic was used as chemotherapy until surprisingly recently. Instead of arsenic, radioactive stuff is used, which can hardly be touted as an improvement. :') The concept is to poison the tumor so it dies, but not give the patient so much poison that they die.
as did many of his ancestors! I think arsenic may have been used as a medicine at that time.
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