Adela Muñoz Páez

The use of poison as a weapon of power dates back to the origins of history. Emperors, kings, pharaohs, plebeians and courtiers, lovers and spies, have all been victims and beneficiaries of the effects of these substances, which are as deadly as they are discreet and fascinating.

Touching on the most celebrated poisonings in history –Socrates, Cleopatra, Lucrezia Borgia,Rasputin, Hitler…–, Adela Muñoz Páez, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Seville, provides a riveting history of poisons. These range from the most familiar, such as hemlock and arsenic, to the most modern and sophisticated, such as thallium and polonium.