Ep 244: Arsenic Obsession - The Valentine Meat-Juice Incident

About this episode

The episode discusses the murder trial of James Maybrick and the implications of Victorian medicine and prison reform.

Today let's talk about the 'murder' of James Maybrick - a businessman in Liverpool in the 1880s who loved to medicate with poisions. A good, what-doesn't-kill-me-makes-me-stronger kind of guy. James's young American wife, Florence, will be accused and tried of murder. It's a story of unmet expectations, Victorian medicine, and a very strong case for prison reform, even well over 100 years later. Florence's book is avaialble via the public domain - https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/55773

People in this episode

Hosts: Taylor Pineiro, Farz Sokhansanj

Topics covered

• murder
• Victorian medicine
• prison reform
• poisons
• historical crime

Keywords

• James Maybrick
• Florence
• murder trial
• Victorian medicine
• prison reform
• poisons
• 1880s
• Liverpool

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Florence's book

Places: Liverpool

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