Episode 49: Arsenic – A Victorian Poison in the Modern World

This week on The Tox Lab, we’re revisiting one of history’s most infamous poisons — arsenic.

Once dubbed the king of poisons, arsenic still poses real risks today. We discuss recent research on arsenic in the water supply and how prenatal exposure may influence birth outcomes in the United States. We also review two unusual cases of intentional elemental arsenic ingestion, exploring the unexpected clinical effects observed, along with a case of chronic arsenic toxicity.

Join us as we uncover how this Victorian-era poison continues to challenge toxicologists in the modern world.

Hope you enjoy!

Links to the papers we discussed:

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2835321

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15563650.2025.2496223

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12328-024-02045-3

Disclaimer: All opinions are our own.

Find us on instagram: @the_tox_lab

Email us here: [email protected]