Insulin As A Murder Weapon - A New Book From Royal Society Of Medicine Press

Main Category: Diabetes
Also Included In: Litigation / Medical Malpractice
Article Date: 07 May 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Insulin Murders - True Life Crimes is the first book to provide a unique insight into how insulin has been used as a murder weapon in cases spanning the last 50 years.

Written by critically acclaimed author of Panic Nation and a world authority on insulin, Vincent Marks, together with Caroline Richmond, a leading medical journalist, Insulin Murders is a fascinating collection of true cases.

Insulin Murders - True Life Crimes is the first book of its kind to detail the true life legal cases that changed the face of insulin in the eyes of the world: from a miracle drug capable of transforming the lives of diabetes sufferers, to a subtle and sinister weapon used to commit murder.

With a foreword by Crimewatch UK's, Nick Ross, the book details cases spanning the last 50 years and from across the globe and gives a unique insight into how guilt or innocence was proved in each situation.

"This fascinating collection of true cases will intrigue and educate both the medical community and those with an interest in science and crime," said author, Professor Vincent Marks.

"With clear explanations of the difficulties involved in detecting insulin overdose the book mixes elements of true crime, forensic science and incredible real life stories to show that sometimes, fact is indeed stranger than fiction."

Insulin Murders offers exclusive access to the medical aspects of the Von Bulow case, the first court case to be broadcast in its entirety on US television, as well as featuring other real life crime cases from the UK to New Zealand.

As Nick Ross writes in the foreword: "a lot of people died to make this book possible."

RSM Press is the publishing arm of the Royal Society of Medicine, an independent charity that promotes the exchange of knowledge, information and ideas in medical science and continued improvement in human health. RSM Press publishes books and journals for medical and allied healthcare professionals.

About the authors

Vincent Marks went up to Oxford on a scholarship to study medicine just after the war. He became a world authority on hypoglycaemia early in his career, during which he was Professor of Clinical Biochemistry at the University of Surrey in Guildford, where he was also Dean of the Science Faculty and Founder of the Medical School. He is a former President of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and former Vice-President of The Royal College of Pathologists. He is one of the world's leading authorities on the measurement of insulin and police investigators worldwide have called upon his expertise whenever a crime, or suspected crime, involves insulin or hypoglycaemia.

Caroline Richmond is a science writer and medical journalist. She is a respected obituary writer for the British Medical Journal, Independent and Guardian, and also writes for the Oldie magazine. She founded HealthWatch, which campaigns for evidence-based medicine.

Insulin Murders is published by Royal Society of Medicine Press. It is available for purchase at www.rsmpress.co.uk RRP: £12.95, ISBN 978-1-85315-760-8, Paperback

www.rsm.ac.uk