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Thomas Stevenson (toxicologist)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Stevenson was an English toxicologist and forensic chemist. He served as an analyst to the Home Office
and in England
he served as an expert witness in many famous poisoning cases. These included the Pimlico Mystery
, The Maybrick Case
, and the George Chapman
case.
In 1857 Stevenson became a medical pupil to Mr Steel of Bradford
. He entered Guy's Hospital
Medical School in 1859 and graduated MB, London, in 1863 and M.D. in 1864. He won several gold medals whilst a student. He became MRCP in 1864 and FRCP in 1871. Stevenson became demonstrator in practical chemistry at Guy's in 1864, and was lecturer in chemistry, 1870-98, and in forensic medicine, 1878-1908, in succession to Alfred Swaine Taylor
(1806-80). He also served as the President of the Institute of Chemistry and of the Society of Public Analysts.
He is notable as the scientific mentor of the Nobel Prize winner Frederick Hopkins
.
Stevenson died of diabetes on 27 July 1908 at his home in Streatham High Road, London and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery
. One of his children became a medical missionary in India.
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
and in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
he served as an expert witness in many famous poisoning cases. These included the Pimlico Mystery
Pimlico Mystery
The Pimlico Mystery or the Pimlico Poisoning Mystery is the name given to the circumstances surrounding the 1886 death of Thomas Edwin Bartlett, possibly at the hands of his wife, Adelaide Blanche Bartlett, in the Pimlico district of London...
, The Maybrick Case
Florence Maybrick
Florence Elizabeth Maybrick was an American woman convicted in Great Britain of murdering her considerably older husband, James Maybrick.-Early life:...
, and the George Chapman
George Chapman (murderer)
George Chapman was a Polish serial killer known as the Borough Poisoner. Born Seweryn Antonowicz Kłosowski in Poland, he moved as an adult to England, where he committed his crimes...
case.
In 1857 Stevenson became a medical pupil to Mr Steel of Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
. He entered Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital
Guy's Hospital is a large NHS hospital in the borough of Southwark in south east London, England. It is administratively a part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. It is a large teaching hospital and is home to the King's College London School of Medicine...
Medical School in 1859 and graduated MB, London, in 1863 and M.D. in 1864. He won several gold medals whilst a student. He became MRCP in 1864 and FRCP in 1871. Stevenson became demonstrator in practical chemistry at Guy's in 1864, and was lecturer in chemistry, 1870-98, and in forensic medicine, 1878-1908, in succession to Alfred Swaine Taylor
Alfred Swaine Taylor
Alfred Swaine Taylor was an English toxicologist and medical writer, who has been called the "father of British forensic medicine"...
(1806-80). He also served as the President of the Institute of Chemistry and of the Society of Public Analysts.
He is notable as the scientific mentor of the Nobel Prize winner Frederick Hopkins
Frederick Hopkins
Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins OM FRS was an English biochemist who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1929, with Christiaan Eijkman, for the discovery of vitamins. He also discovered the amino acid tryptophan, in 1901...
.
Stevenson died of diabetes on 27 July 1908 at his home in Streatham High Road, London and was buried at West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery
West Norwood Cemetery is a cemetery in West Norwood in London, England. It was also known as the South Metropolitan Cemetery.One of the first private landscaped cemeteries in London, it is one of the Magnificent Seven cemeteries of London, and is a site of major historical, architectural and...
. One of his children became a medical missionary in India.