Was Jane Austen poisoned?

[annis]

Crime writer Lindsay Ashford has been studying records relating to Jane Austen's illness and claims that her early death may have been caused by arsenic poisoning. A sensational interpretation would be murder, but arsenic-based medication, commonly used at the time, seems a more likely culprit.

Article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/14/jane-austen-arsenic-poisoning

[SGM]

Crime writer Lindsay Ashford has been studying records relating to Jane Austen's illness and claims that her early death may have been caused by arsenic poisoning. A sensational interpretation would be murder, but arsenic-based medication, commonly used at the time, seems a more likely culprit.

Article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/14/jane-austen-arsenic-poisoning

Wallpaper used to contain it, but probably in late Victorian times and if a room was damp, the wallpaper oozed arsenic. But that would probably not be true in Jane Austen's time.

[lauragill]

Crime writer Lindsay Ashford has been studying records relating to Jane Austen's illness and claims that her early death may have been caused by arsenic poisoning. A sensational interpretation would be murder, but arsenic-based medication, commonly used at the time, seems a more likely culprit.

Article here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/nov/14/jane-austen-arsenic-poisoning

Who would want to kill Jane Austen?

[annis]

The "M' word is clearly just an attention-grabber on Ashford's part - she is trying to promote her book, after all - but more credibly, she goes on to say to the Guardian:

"Fowler's Solution (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fowler's_solution) [was used] as a treatment for everything from rheumatism – something Austen complained of in her letters – to syphilis.

After all my research I think it's highly likely she [Austen] was given a medicine containing arsenic. When you look at her list of symptoms and compare them to the list of arsenic symptoms, there is an amazing correlation"

[Divia]

Wallpaper used to contain it, but probably in late Victorian times and if a room was damp, the wallpaper oozed arsenic. But that would probably not be true in Jane Austen's time.

Oh, I did not know. Interesting.

The author of the article is obviously a genius. :rolleyes: Nice way to grab attention for your book. *yawn*

[LoveHistory]

There's a bit more in there. The author of the book also mentioned some murder motives within Austen's family. I got the impression that the book is about the possible murder. Should be an interesting read.

I can believe she died of arsenic poisoning, but I doubt it was intentional.