Forensic Science Essay
Modern television shows like CSI, NCIS, and Bones give an insight into what it is like to be on a crime scene. More importantly, these programs portray the semi-realistic process of catching a criminal. From investigating the crime scene to making the arrest, vital steps are taken to find the perpetrator, but the key to cracking the case lies in the evidence. The study of evidence is known as forensic science, which applies scientific information to the physical proof. The field of forensic science is vast, so scientists specialize in certain areas: forensic biology, forensic toxicology, forensic pathology, or forensic anthropology (Forensic Sciences).
Forensic biology is the study of bodily fluids and DNA. Biologists can build a suspect's …show more content…
Toxicologists can identify types of poisons murderers use, chemicals that are present at the time of death, and other drugs or toxins that are located at the crime scene. Poisoning people before the 1830s was considered easy, and most coroners would say the victims died from natural causes. It was not until English chemist, James Marsh, did the world have an accurate way of detecting arsenic in human bodies. In 1852, at the age of nineteen, Mary Ann Cotton was expecting her first child. Mary Ann and her husband traveled around looking for employment and had five children along the way. Unfortunately, four of the five died. After Mary Ann was twenty-four, she had three more children who died. Coroners said they had all died from diarrhea because there was not a test for arsenic poisoning. Cotton quickly claimed the life insurance for each child. Not long after this, Mary's husband was hurt in a mining accident and was said to have died of gastric fever. Fortunately for her, she had convinced her husband to obtain life insurance. The recently buried bodies of Cotton's family were exhumed, and scientists used Marsh's test to look for arsenic poisoning. Mary Ann Cotton was found guilty for implementing high doses of arsenic into the bodies of her loved ones and was sentenced to death
Forensic biology is the study of bodily fluids and DNA. Biologists can build a suspect's …show more content…
Toxicologists can identify types of poisons murderers use, chemicals that are present at the time of death, and other drugs or toxins that are located at the crime scene. Poisoning people before the 1830s was considered easy, and most coroners would say the victims died from natural causes. It was not until English chemist, James Marsh, did the world have an accurate way of detecting arsenic in human bodies. In 1852, at the age of nineteen, Mary Ann Cotton was expecting her first child. Mary Ann and her husband traveled around looking for employment and had five children along the way. Unfortunately, four of the five died. After Mary Ann was twenty-four, she had three more children who died. Coroners said they had all died from diarrhea because there was not a test for arsenic poisoning. Cotton quickly claimed the life insurance for each child. Not long after this, Mary's husband was hurt in a mining accident and was said to have died of gastric fever. Fortunately for her, she had convinced her husband to obtain life insurance. The recently buried bodies of Cotton's family were exhumed, and scientists used Marsh's test to look for arsenic poisoning. Mary Ann Cotton was found guilty for implementing high doses of arsenic into the bodies of her loved ones and was sentenced to death