Mithridata #31 (Jan 2006)

Toxicological History Society
Newsletter
“MITHRIDATA”
Preserving the history of poisons & the poisons of history.
Vol. XVI, No. 1
January 2006
Issue #31
Editor & Founder
John H. Trestrail III, RPh, FAACT, DABAT
SOCIETY’S MISSION STATEMENT
It is the mission of the THiS , to promote the discussion of the poisons of history and the history of poisons, by
providing a forum for the international exchange of information and interests between SOCIETY members. To
these ends the SOCIETY publishes the semi-annual newsletter MITHRIDATA, along with an annual SOCIETY
Membership Directory, maintains the INDEX TOXICOLOGICUM (a database of toxicological references
published before 1960), conducts an annual meeting at which related papers are presented, and maintains an archive
and reference library.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR AUTHORS
The SOCIETY newsletter MITHRIDATA is published electronically every six months, with issues in January
and July of each year. Deadlines for receipt of materials, for inclusion in respective issues, are December 1st, and
June 1st. Manuscripts of articles being submitted for publication should be sent to the Editor only as E-mails, with
attachments in WORD PERFECT ™, or MS WORD™, readable by a personal computer running WINDOWS 98.
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NEW MEMBERS
We would like to welcome the following new members to the THiS. Their names and interests have been added
to the SOCIETY Membership Directory. Each new member is expected to contribute to the SOCIETY by research
in their area of interests, leading to presentations at SOCIETY meetings, or articles for publishing in
MITHRIDATA.
NAME
LOCATION
INTERESTS
G. Patrick Daubert, MD
Eastpointe, MICHIGAN
Drugs of abuse
Leslie R. Dye, MD
Cincinnati, OHIO
Veterinary toxicology
Mariko Fukumoto, RPh, PhD
Tokyo, JAPAN
Asian tox history
Wayne C. Miller, RPh
Columbus, OHIO
Antique poison bottles
Theresa Scheuermann, RN, MA
Chicago, ILLINOIS
Herbal remedies
NEWS NOTES
MITHRIDATA - BACK ISSUES
All back issues of the MITHRIDATA newsletters, have been reproduced as PDF files, and copied onto a CDROM, along with a complete index. To obtain a copy of the collection of back issues (from 1991-present), please
send a donation of US$10.00, to cover the costs of media duplication, handling, and postage. Please make the check
payable to John H. Trestrail III, and mail your donation to the Editor. This is an excellent opportunity for newer
members to catch up with the past contributions and activities of our SOCIETY!
SOCIETY LAPEL PIN AVAILABLE
Display a symbol of your membership in THiS. Our bronze SOCIETY lapel pin, representing our logo, can be
yours for only US$5.00. Only a limited quantity remain, and they will not be restruck! If you would like to get
one of these, before our supply is exhausted, please send your payment to John H. Trestrail III.
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OUR SOCIETY PRODUCES THE 2006 “DEADLY DATES” CALENDAR
With a support grant from the pharmaceutical firm Orphan Medical, our SOCIETY was once again able to produce
an historical calendar this year. The calendar was unveiled at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology
meeting, held in September, 2005, in Orlando, Florida. The theme for this year’s calendar is “Poisons on Stamps”.
On most of the dates of each month, one will find some information about an historical event in toxicology that took
place on that day. The calendars are free of charge, and copies can be obtained by contacting the SOCIETY Editor,
or Orphan Medical at 1-888-8ORPHAN, (1-888-867-7426).
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SOCIETY’S 2005 MEETING A SUCCESS
Our 2005 meeting was held at the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology, in Orlando, Florida. A large
audience of Congress attendees attended our session. Five papers were presented magnificently, with style and
creative artistic innovations. The following five presentations were given:
FEATURE ARTICLES
“Famous Toxicologists: A Graveyard Tour”
by
John H. Trestrail III, RPh, FAACT, DABAT
Grand Rapids, Michigan
It has been said that “to be forgotten, is the death of death”, and in hopes of us never forgetting the contributions
of the toxicological “giants” of our past, we will visit their final resting places and discuss their accomplishments.
For those readers who would like to visit their graves, what follows are directions to their locations.
Sir Robert Christison, MD, LLD
Born July 18, 1797, he died January 23, 1882, Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1821, he studied under Orfila, in Paris,
France, and in 1829, published “A Treatise on Poisons, in Relation to Medical Jurisprudence, Physiology, and the
Practice of Physic”, which was the first book published in Great Britain, discussing the science of toxicology. From
1829 to 1866, he served as medical advisor to the Crown. He also served as president of the Royal Society
Edinburgh.
GRAVE LOCATION: New Calton Cemetery, Edinburgh, Scotland. This cemetery founded in 1820, is located
South of Regent Road, East of the Canongate Churchyard. The grave is #380, on the 2nd avenue below the
caretaker’s house, running East-West.
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Matthieu Joseph Bonaventure Orfila, MD
Born April 24, 1787, Mahon, Minorca, Spain. He died suddenly, on March 12, 1853, Paris, France. Orfila, is
considered the “Father of Toxicology”, and in 1814, he published “Traite des Poisons”, the first book written on
toxicology. This book went on to four additional editions. In addition, in 1818, he published “Secours a donner
aux personnes empoisonnees ou asphyxiees”, which was the first book devoted entirely to aiding physicians in
treating the poisoned patient.
GRAVE LOCATION: Cimitere du Montparnasse, Paris, France, located in the 14th arrondissement. This cemetery,
established in 1824, is the third largest in Paris, covering some 1,800 acres. One will find his grave at: Division
4, Line 1R, 8 North Concession, 189P, off the Avenue Principale.
Jean Servais Stas
Born August 21, 1813, Leuven, Belgium, he died in Brussels, on December 13, 1891. Stas was noted as an
analytical chemist, and for his accurate determination of atomic weights. He developed the first effective method
for extracting plant alkaloidal compounds from cadavers, and his skill was brought to bear in the 1850 trial of the
murder of Gustav Fougnies, by his brother-in-law Count Hippolyte de Bocarme. It was Stas who was able to isolate
nicotine, which was the murder weapon from the victim’s body. His work formed the basis for what became known
as the “Otto-Stas Method” of toxicological analysis.
GRAVE LOCATION: His grave is located in the cemetery in Heverlee, Belgium
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Philipus Theophrastus Aureolus Bombastus von Hohenheim Paracelsus
Born on November 10, 1493, in the village of Einsiedeln (near Zurich, Switzerland), he died after a tavern brawl
on September 24, 1541, in Salzburg, Austria. It was Paracelsus who in his “Third Defense” (1564), came up with
the toxicological principle “all things are poison and not without poison; only the dose makes a thing not a poison”.
GRAVE LOCATION: His grave can be found at Saint Sebastian’s Cemetery, Salzburg, Austria. To find it one
enters the cemetery from the Linzergasse, immediately turns left, and walks along the wall to the first corner, then
turn left, walk up the steps, and Paracelsus’ grave is on the right.
Matthew J. Ellenhorn, MD
Matt was born on April 23, 1923, in Chicago, Illinois, and died in his sleep on February 2, 1996, in Los Angeles,
California. He served as Chief of the U.S. Army Cold Injury Research Laboratory, and maintained a busy clinical
consulting practice until the time of his death. In 1988, he authored a significant encompassing toxicology text
“Ellenhorn’s Medical Toxicology”. Matt was also an active member of our Society.
GRAVE LOCATION: His grave can be found in Beit Shemesh, Israel, in the Eretz Hachaim Cemetery.
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Moshe ben Maimon ben Joseph, MD (Moses Maimonides, MD)
Maimonides was born in Cordova, Spain, on March 30, 1135, and died in Fostat (Old Cairo), Egypt, on December
13, 1204. He was a prominent Jewish theologian, philosopher, physician, and scholar. In 1198, he wrote his 7th
medical treatise: “Treatise on Poisons and Their Antidotes”, which was the first compendium on poisons, and
served as a handbook in most medical schools of the Middle Ages.
GRAVE LOCATION: The grave of Maimonides can be found in the town of Tiberias, Israel, north of Jerusalem.
Theodore George Wormley, MD, PhD, LBD
Wormley, was born in Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania, on April 1, 1826, and died in Philadelphia, on January 2,
1897. In 1869, he published the work “Microchemistry of Poisons”, which was the first book on toxicology
published by an American author.
GRAVE LOCATION: Wormley’s grave can be found in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at the Woodland’s Cemetery,
40th & Woodland Ave. This cemetery, founded in 1840, is very near to the University of Pennsylvania Medical
School.
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Other Toxicologist’s Graves to be Located
The graves of other toxicologists are sought, and readers who may visit the cities in which they are buried are asked
to seek them out, and submit a photo of the grave along with the directions for the location of the site. What follows
are some of the graves that are being sought:
Louis Lewin, PhD - German pharmacologist, died 1929, and author of the 1920 book “Die Gifte in der
Weltgeschichte” (Poisons in the History of the World). He is buried at the Jewish Cemetery, in Berlin, Germany.
James Marsh - Scottish chemist, and developer of the “Marsh Test” for Arsenic. Buried somewhere in the United
Kingdom.
Richard Mead, MD - English physician, who died in 1754, and was the author of “A Mechanical Account of
Poisons”, published in 1702, it was the first book in English, devoted to poisons. He is buried at Temple Church,
London, England.
Alfred Swaine Taylor, MD - author of the 1848 book, “On Poisons, in Relation to Medical Jurisprudence and
Medicine”, which served as the standard toxicological text in the United Kingdom, for the latter part of the 1800s.
He is buried at Highgate Cemetery (West), London, England.
Charles John Samuel (CJS) Thompson. PhD, MBE - born in Liverpool, England on August 27, 2862, and who
died on July 14, 1943, is buried somewhere in the United Kingdom. He was the first to write about the history and
romance of poisons for the general population. His book “Poison Romance and Poison Mysteries”, was first
published in 1899.
The above article is based upon a presentation made by the author, at the 2005 Society meeting, held at
the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology, in Orlando, Florida.
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"Television and Toxicology:
High Definition Poisoning in Color and Black and White"
by
Adam B. Schlichting, MPH
Timothy B. Erickson, MD, FACEP, FACMT, FAACT
Toxikon Consortium and the University of Illinois at Chicago
ABSTRACT
Introduction: "Seeing a murder on television can help work off one's antagonism. And if you haven't any
antagonisms, the commercials will give you some."- Alfred Hitchcock- Since its invention in the 1920s and wide
domestic availability in the 1950s and 60s, television has made a profound impact on our social fabric and cultural
development. As with other forms of public media, toxicology has played a prominent and entertaining role in
television's history.
Methods: Retrospective review of television shows over the past half century for episodes or themes of poisoning.
Summary of television actors with real life deaths attributed to a toxicological etiology, as well as those actors still
alive, with documented poisoning events.
Results: Television shows such as Alfred Hitchcock Presents, Perry Mason, Twilight Zone, Night Gallery,
Colombo, Quincy, Murder She Wrote, ER, CSI, and The Simpsons have made numerous references to poisonings
and toxicology. Other sitcoms, drama series, soap operas, TV sporting events, and music variety shows have also
featured episodes and characters with poisoning themes. Real life deaths of television stars such as Elvis Presley,
John Belushi, Chris Farley, Anissa Jones, Dana Plato, Trevor Goddard, Glenn Quinn, and Robert Pastorelli have
been attributed to toxicological causes. Many other TV personalities have had documented poisoning events, with
selected drugs of abuse being the most common category.
Conclusion: Television has impacted human-kind worldwide with its ability to communicate and entertain.
Toxicological themes have enhanced drama, mystery, comedy, documentary, music, and sporting events presented
via the television media. With the explosion of cable and satellite television allowing programs with less rigorous
censorship, along with the public's fascination over poisonings, toxicology will continue to play an important role
in the television industry.
PAPER
Introduction
On August 25, 1900, during a presentation at the 1st International Electricity Congress at the World's Fair in Paris,
Constantin Perskyi, a Professor of Electricity at the Artillery Academy of Saint Petersburg, cited work by multiple
scientists dating as far back as 1884 describing an experimental system for transmitting moving images over electric
wires.[1] Prior to this presentation, this technology had been known by multiple names, but by combining the
Greek for "far," and the Latin for "sight," Perskyi coined what would forever be known as "television." In the
decade following the Second World War, televisions began to appear as everyday fixtures in American households
and television started having a profound impact on our social fabric and cultural development. As with other forms
of public media, toxicology has played a prominent and entertaining role in television's history. This paper will
examine the history and development of television, trends and examples of poisonings depicted in television dramas
and comedies, and finally examine some notable, toxicology-related deaths of television actors.
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History of Television
Shortly after Perskyi's naming of the technology, two camps arose in the development of television systems. In one
camp were researchers including American Charles Francis Jenkins and Scotsman John Logie Baird, who developed
electromechanical television systems based on a spinning disk first demonstrated in 1884 by German scientist Paul
Gottlieb Nipkow.[1] Jenkins was granted a U.S. patent in 1925 for his revision of the technology for "Transmitting
Pictures over Wires" (U.S. patent number 1544156), and in 1928 he started the first U.S. television broadcast
station, Jenkins Television Corporation, which broadcast on W3XK from Wheaton, Maryland. Jenkins was also
fined by the Federal Radio Commission, the predecessor of the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), for
his 1930 broadcast of the first ever television commercial. Like Jenkins, Baird built upon the electro-mechanical
technology of the Nipkow disk. Baird is credited with creating the first television program for the British Broadcast
Company (BBC) as well as the first trans-Atlantic television transmission.
In the other camp were researchers including Philo Taylor Farnsworth and Vladimir Zworkin, who developed
all-electronic television systems. These systems were based on the 1897 development of the cathode ray tube (CRT)
by Karl Ferdinand Braun. During the 1920s, several significant advances occurred in television technology. These
advances are largely credited to two different individuals who have both, depending on the source, been called the
"father of television." In 1923, Vladimir Kosma Zworykin, an electrical engineer working at a Westinghouse
laboratory in Pittsburgh, invented the iconoscope, a component of early television cameras which laid the
foundation of early electronic moving image capture. While directing RCA's Electronic Research Laboratory in
Camden, New Jersey, Zworykin also developed the kinescope in 1929, a further advancement on Braun's CRT for
displaying electronic television images. As early as 1910, Zworykin and his mentor Boris Rosing had used an
electronic Braun CRT to display images transmitted via a mechanical scanner. It was not until 1929, however, that
Zworykin demonstrated a fully electronic television system using his iconoscope in the camera and his kinescope
in the receiver.[3] Zworykin told RCA Vice President David Sarnoff that a marketable television system could be
developed for "$100,000 and a year and a half."[2]
At the same time Zworykin was developing his television system, Philo Taylor Farnsworth was working on his own
electronic television system.[4] In 1927, at the age of 21, Farnsworth achieved a simple electronic system. One
of the keys to Farnsworth's system was his development of the image dissector, a modification of the CRT in which
electrons were emitted when struck with light, thus allowing a camera to create an electronic image. Farnsworth
patented his image dissector in 1927.
In 1930, Zworykin, who was working for RCA, visited Farnsworth's lab and learned how the all-electronic image
dissector worked.[1] The next year, David Sarnoff of RCA attempted to buy Farnsworth's patent rights, however
Farnsworth declined the offer and was soon working for RCA competitor Philco. In 1934, Farnsworth demonstrated
his fully-electronic television system that broadcast 220 horizontal lines at a rate of 30 pictures per second at the
Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.
There exists a strong debate as to whether Farnsworth or Zworykin should be heralded as the “father of television”.
The original book on the history of television credited Zworykin, however this book was written by RCA.
Zworykin's original 1923 patent application was for an incomplete design, a functional model of which was not built
until 1933, and the patent was not granted until 1938 after major revisions. Courts eventually also found that RCA's
television system, developed under the direction of Zworykin, violated the patent held by Farnsworth. Zworykin's
case was also not helped by his 1930 visit to Farnsworth's lab, however in 1941 the FCC released the NTSC
standard for black and white television systems, selecting the "RCA" format.[5]
At the 1939 World's Fair, David Sarnoff demonstrated the RCA television technology, broadcasting a speech by
President Franklin D. Roosevelt to showcase RCA's new line of television receivers for consumers. These television
sets ranged in price from $199.50 to $600 (approximately $2,000 to $6,000 in 1998 U.S. dollars), with the least
expensive model being a picture-only receiver requiring a separate radio to receive sound transmissions.[6] Despite
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the excitement of the new invention, not everyone thought it would last. Following the 1939 unveiling of the RCA
line of television sets, the New York Times remarked that "The problem with television is that the people must sit
and keep their eyes glued on a screen; the average American family hasn't time for it...for this reason, if for no
other, television will never be a serious competitor [to radio]." [7] Later in his career, even Vladimir Zworykin
commented "I hate what they've done to my child...I would never let my own children watch it."[3]
During WWII, the War Production Board halted the manufacture of television and radio equipment for civilian use.
Following the war however, the number of commercial television stations increased dramatically from 9 in 1945
to 48 in 1948 and the number of cities having commercial service increased from 8 to 23.[5] In 1947, dramas
including the Kraft Television Theater, Studio One, and the Actors Studio began broadcasting. The following year,
the Camel Newsreel Theater became the first weekday news broadcast in the U.S. By 1960 there were 440 VHF
stations and 75 UHF stations licensed in the U.S. Not only were more television stations available, but sales of
television sets increased so significantly that by 1948 there were 977,000 television sets in the U.S. and by 1960,
85% of U.S. households owned at least one television set.5;6 By 1990, 98% of U.S. homes had at least one
television set.[1]
Color TV
In 1928, John Logie Baird demonstrated the world's first color transmission using an electromechanical system
similar to his black and white version television system.[1] The following year, Bell Labs in the U.S. demonstrated
a different system for color electromechanical television. Both electro-mechanical systems, however, were soon
outmoded by fully-electric systems.
Electronic color television was first demonstrated to the FCC in February, 1940 by RCA. This technology used a
"dot sequential" color system. Later that year, the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) began experimenting with
an electromechanical "field sequential" color system. In 1941, the RCA subsidiary National Broadcasting Company
(NBC) and later CBS began field testing their respective color systems, however neither system was compatible with
existing, commercially available black and white television sets, so the only viewers were company engineers.
Shortly after the FCC had approved the CBS color standard, RCA had begun working with the National Television
System Committee (NTSC) to develop a color system that would meet the FCC standards and would be compatible
with existing black and white television sets. Following CBS's surrender of their color system, the RCA/NTSC
"compatible color" system was approved as the second U.S. color broadcasting standard by the FCC in 1953, and
in August of that year the first "compatible color" program, a portion of Kukla, Fran and Ollie, was broadcast on
NBC. In January 1954, Admiral began selling television sets utilizing the RCA standard and in March, RCA began
marketing their own color televisions. Despite the availability of color television sets, the television networks were
reluctant to broadcast much in color due to the very limited number of available color sets. NBC began regular
color broadcasts in 1954, but only during off-peak viewing hours. It was not until 1962 that the American
Broadcasting Company (ABC) began broadcasting it's two series The Flintstones and The Jetsons in color.
Although color televisions had been available for ten years, by 1964 only 3.1% of television-owning households
in the U.S. owned a color television set.
In 1965, NBC announced that it's entire prime time schedule, with the exception of I Dream of Jeannie, would be
broadcast in color, providing further impetus for the other networks to begin primetime broadcasting in color. Both
ABC and CBS follow suit in the fall of 1966. The sales of color television sets remained lower than sales of black
and white televisions until 1972, but by the end of that year, more than half of the television-owning households
in the U.S. owned a color television.
Trends and Examples of Poisonings in Television Programs
Many television programs emulate what is going on in society and because of the incidence of alcohol and illicit
drug use in society, television programs are full of depictions of these intoxications. Although no database of
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television programs featuring poisonings exists, a few generalizations based on a non-scientific overview of
episodes featuring poisonings reveled some trends. First, intoxications by more unusual agent such as tetrototoxin,
stone fish venom, or arsenic are relatively overrepresented in television poisonings. Second, poisonings more likely
to be seen in real Emergency Departments such as prescription drug overdoses, are fairly rare in television
programs.
To this end, several examples of poisonings will be highlighted to illustrate how toxicology has been depicted on
television dramas and comedies.
The series Dragnet featured an episode on January 12, 1967 called "The Big LSD," which featured a young male
who was under the influence of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and this episode may have changed federal laws
in the U.S.[8;9] Although the State of California had declared LSD illegal on October 6, 1966, it is rumored that
portions of the broadcast were shown to the U.S. Congress which may have swayed the Federal government to
declare the drug illegal later in 1967.
Heavy metal poisonings have found their way into television dramas. One example of this can be seen in the very
dramatic Perry Mason episode "Case of the Runaway Corpse" written by Erle Stanley Gardner, first broadcast
November 11, 1967. After being told by the forensic chemist that a sandwich had been laced with arsenic, Mr.
Davenport remarked "I thought she'd be a little more original...but then arsenic worked for her before, so why
change, right?" A more recent example of heavy metal poisonings are the use of arsenic and selenium in the CSI
episodes "Crow's Feet" (originally aired October 21, 2004) and "Organ Grinder" (originally aired December 13,
2001), both of which are given away by the characteristic Mees lines on the victims' fingernails. In the "Man with
No Name" episode of ER, first broadcast October 6, 2005, a patient is diagnosed as having lead poisoning from
treatments she is receiving in Mexico to prevent breast cancer after having been genotyped as having the BRCA1
gene.
Toxins derived from marine fish are also popular in television crime series. In the January 2, 1977 episode of
Quincy, M.E. entitled "Hot Ice, Cold Hearts," the main character, Quincy, helps a rescue a man by constructing a
makeshift defibrillator using an extension cord and "a slab of cooking grease." The man had been poisoned by a
jewel thief by injection of venom from "Synanceia verrucosa...a stone fish...the most venomous fish known to man."
In another marine envenomation featured in the January 30, 1978 "Murder Under Glass" episode of Columbo, a
restaurateur is poisoned after consuming wine that had been mixed with tetrototoxin from a puffer fish. Puffer fish
also played a role in the Simpsons episode "One Fish, Two Fish, Blowfish, Blue Fish," which originally aired on
January 24, 1991. After trying everything else on the menu at the Happy Sumo restaurant, Homer ordered the fugu.
While attempting to warn him of the danger, Homer cut off his waiter by telling him "fugu me!" The understudy
to the sushi chef, however, did not properly prepare the pufferfish, and it was suspected that Homer was poisoned
after consuming the "fan-fugu-tastic" sushi and that he had been inadvertently poisoned.
Another example of a poisoning on a television comedy show was the May 16, 1996 season finale of Seinfeld
entitled "The Invitations." The program depicted the death of George's fiancé Susan as a result of an unknown
toxin. It was soon discovered that she had been poisoned by licking the toxic glue from the cheap envelopes George
had insisted they buy for their wedding invitations.
In a final example of toxicology on television, we turn to the role of Syrup of Ipecac. Once a mainstay of toxic
ingestions, Ipecac was featured in the July 10, 2005 episode of the animated television series The Family Guy
entitled "8 Simple Rules for Buying My Teenage Daughter." In one scene, the cartoon father tells his sons and
talking dog Brian "Alright you guys, I've got eight crates of ipecac...now whoever goes the longest without pukin'
gets the last piece of pie in the fridge." A few seconds after all of the characters drink ipecac, they begin vomiting
in an animated series lasting more than a minute.
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Despite the common use of poisonings in television programming, little research has been conducted to determine
if televised poisonings have an impact on the incidence of so-called copy-cat poisonings. It is alleged that the
2000-2002 MTV series Jackass, which depicted adults performing stunts, was partially responsible for several
deaths and severe injuries of children and adolescents imitating the danger stunts. In 2001, Connecticut Senator
Joseph Lieberman requested that MTV cancel the show or move it to a later time after a 13 year old Connecticut
resident suffered second- and third-degree burns after two friends poured gasoline on his legs and feet and then set
him on fire in an attempt to recreate a stunt they had viewed on Jackass.[10] Little research, however, has been
done to assess how often viewers imitate poisonings they saw on television.
In a 1999 study, Hawton et al examined overdoses of paracetamol (known as acetaminophen in the USA) following
the broadcast of an episode of the popular British series Casualty in which a character intentionally overdosed on
paracetamol.[11] It was found that patients presenting to Casualty Departments with any self poisoning increased
by 17% (95% confidence interval 7%-28%) in the week following the broadcast. Furthermore, the use of
paracetamol for overdose doubled among viewers of the show after the episode aired (an increase of 106%; 95%
CI 28%-232%), with overdoses of paracetamol increasing significantly more non-paracetamol overdoses.
Furthermore, the use of paracetamol for overdose doubled among viewers of the show after the episode aired (an
increase of 106%; 95% CI 28%-232%), with overdoses of paracetamol increasing significantly more nonparacetamol overdoses. Of the 32 overdose patients interviewed, 20% said the episode had influenced their decision
to overdose.
Notable Actors with Tox-related Deaths
Since the introduction of television in the U.S., there have been a number of television stars who have died as a
result of intoxications. Following is a brief overview of high-profile television celebrity deaths.
Although known more for his music, Elvis Presley was featured on countless television variety shows which helped
immensely to propel his career and extend his fans throughout the nation and throughout the world. Presley's
television debut was on January 28, 1956 on CBS's Stage Show and on June 5th of that year, his infamous
performance on The Milton Berle Show earned him the nickname "Elvis the Pelvis."[12-14]
On August 16, 1977, Presley died at Graceland, his Memphis, Tennessee home at the age of 42. Although there
remains speculation as to the official cause of death, the general consensus is that he died of an arrhythmia
secondary to multiple prescription medications.
John Belushi achieved national fame as one of the founding cast members of NBC's Saturday Night Live, which
he was a cast member of from 1975-1979 and shared a 1977 Emmy Award for "Outstanding Writing in a
Comedy-Variety or Music Series" for his part in the writing of the show.[15] On March 5, 1982, Belushi was found
dead in a hotel room in Los Angeles as a result of injection of cocaine and heroin. He was 33 years old.[16 ]
Anissa Jones was a childhood star of the 1966-1971 CBS series Family Affair, where she played the role of
Elizabeth 'Buffy' Patterson-Davis.[17] Following her role on Family Affair which ended when she was 14, Jones
decided not to pursue further television roles. On August 28, 1976, at the age of 18, Jones was found dead at a
friend's house in Oceanside, California as a result of quaalude and barbiturate intoxication.[18]
Another Saturday Night Live cast member followed an ironically similar route to Belushi. Chris Farley idolized
Belushi, and said he "dreamed of being John Belushi. That's why I went the Second City [comedy troupe], Saturday
Night Live route. I wanted to follow him."[19] Farley had been in and out of alcohol and drug rehabilitation
programs for a number of years preceding his December 18, 1997 death in Chicago; like his idol Belushi, Farley
died at the age of 33 as a result of cocaine and heroin intoxication.[20]
Child star Dana Plato was best know for her role as Kimberly Drummond, the older sister on the series Diff'rent
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Strokes which began in 1978.[21;22] Although the series ran on NBC until 1985, and then for a final season on
ABC, Plato was only cast in the first seven seasons because the writers of the show did not believe they would be
able to reconcile Plato's real-life pregnancy with the persona of her character. Coping with her past childhood
stardom and the loss of custody of her son during her divorce, Plato began drinking and substance abuse. In 1992,
she was arrested for forging prescriptions for diazepam and served 30 days in jail. Plato was in and out of drug and
alcohol rehabilitation programs, however she died as a result of overdose with carisoprodol and
hydrocodone/acetaminophen in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 8, 1999 at the age of 34.[23]
Lani O'Grady, childhood start who played Mary Bradford on the 1977 to 1981 series Eight Is Enough had suffered
from anxiety and panic attacks since her days on the show and had been on alprazolam, diazepam and
chlordiazepoxide while acting in the series.[24] After the series ended, O'Grady began abusing alcohol and in 1994
told Geraldo Rivera she "drank two bottles of Chardonnay a day, took a ton of prescription pills." By the early
1990s, O'Grady had been to alcohol and drug rehab programs more than five times but by the mid 1990s, after using
an alternative medicine regimen, stated she had ended her addictions. In 1998, however, she checked herself into
the detox program at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for a new addiction to lorazepam. On September 25th, 2001,
O'Grady was found dead in her Valencia, California home as a result of overdose on acetaminophen/hydrocodone
and fluoxetine. She was 46 years old. [25]
Originally from Dublin, Glenn Quinn played the recurring character Mark Healy in the series Rosanne from
1990-1997 and later played Allen Francis Doyle in the 2000 series Angel. [26] Quinn died on December 3, 2002
at the age of 32 of an overdose of heroin at his friend's North Hollywood apartment.[27]
Former boxer Trevor Goddard starred in several movies, made-for-TV movies, and played the role of Lieutenant
Commander Mic Brumby from 1999-2001 on CBS's series JAG. [28] On June 7, 2003 at the age of 37, Goddard
was found dead in his North Hollywood home from an apparent overdose of heroin, cocaine, and prescription
diazepam and hydrocodone/acetaminophen.
Another former boxer, Robert Pastorelli is best known for his 1988-1994 role as Eldin Bernecky, Candice Bergen's
housepainter on the series Murphy Brown.[29;30] Pastorelli had admitted to using heroin early in his career, but
had remained clean throughout most of his later career. In 1999, his girlfriend, 25 year old Charemon Jonovich,
was found dead in their home in as a result of an apparent self-inflicted gun shot wound. Following her death,
Pastorelli again turned to heroin. On March 8, 2004, 49 year old Pastorelli was found dead by his assistant in his
Los Angeles home as a result of heroin overdose.[31]
Although there are a number of high-profile deaths of actors due to poisonings, and specifically self-induced drug
intoxications, the majority of actors that have died have done so as a result of what most other Americans die from:
over 50% of Hollywood stars have died from either cardiac disease or cancer.[32] The top ten causes of death for
the U.S. population in general recorded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are almost identical
to the top ten causes of death of actors.[33] Furthermore, although there is no disease classification that covers all
fatal poisonings, the 11th most common cause of death for the general population in the U.S. was "Intentional
self-harm (suicide)," which was responsible for 1.3% of deaths in 2002 and death as a result of overdose was
responsible for approximately 1% of deaths of actors.
When examining the numbers of deaths of actors by year, there is a significant increase in deaths in the late
1980s-mid 1990s, however this coincides with the deaths of the early pioneers of motion picture and television
actors who were, at the time, 80-90 years old. [32]
Fans of actors often emulate the actions and habits of the actor. One of the clearest examples of this was the 1990s
fad of copying the "Rachel" haircut named after the Friends character played by Jennifer Aniston.[34] There is also
evidence that the television media coverage of the suicide of a popular television news reporter in Quebec, Canada,
Page 15
significantly increased the number of suicides in that community, especially by hanging as the index case had,
during the following three months.[35] To date, there has been no published research examining the impact of drug
use by actors on drug use by their fans, however it is presumed that some fans may emulate the substance abuse
patterns of the actors they like.
Conclusion
Television's ability to communicate and entertain is undeniable. In addition to depicting entertaining toxicological
themes in television dramas, mysteries, comedies, and documentaries, television viewers are also interested in the
personal toxicological experiences of the individuals who act on the television programs. Television dramas and
comedies are a reflection of the ideals and interests of society, for if viewers were not interested, the television
shows would not continue to be produced. Cases of poisonings have been, and will continue to be, written into
television shows, and the public continues to watch these shows, indicting the public's fascination with poisonings.
Despite the huge influence television has on the population, little research has been conducted to examine if there
is truly an associated increase in poisonings of the type depicted on a television show.
References
(1) Wikipedia. Television. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Television#History. Accesses 10-11-2005.
(2) RCA. About RCA: History. Available at
http://www.rca.com/content/viewdetail/1,2811,EI97-CI263,00.html? Accessed 10-11-2005.
(3) Bellis M. Vladimir Zworykin. Available at http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blzworykin.htm
Accessed 10-8-2005.
(4) The Great Idea Finder. Fascinating facts about the invention of the television by Philo T. Farnsworth in
1927. Available at http://www.ideafinder.com/history/inventions/story085.htm Accessed 10-8-2005.
(5) Federal Communications Commission. Golden Age [of Television], 1930's through 1950's. Available at
http://www.fcc.gov/omd/history/tv/1930-1959.html Accessed 10-11-2005.
(6) MZTZ Museum of Television. Television in the World of Tomorrow. Available at
http://www.mztv.com/mz.asp Accessed 10-10-2005.
(7) Federal Communications Commission. The Technology of Television: Highlights, Timeline, and Where to
Find More Information. 2003. Available at http://www.fcc.gov/omd/history/tv/documents/76years_tv.pdf
Accessed 10-8-2005.
(8) IMDb. Art Balinger. Available at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0050255/ Accessed 10-9-2005.
(9) Erowid. LSD Timeline. Available at http://www.erowid.org/chemicals/lsd/lsd_timeline.php Accessed
10-9-2005.
(10) Farache E. "Jackass" Ripped. Available at http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,7736,00.html
Accessed 10-9-2005.
(11) Hawton K, Simkin S, Deeks JJ, O'Connor S, Keen A, Altman DG et al. Effects of a drug overdose in a
television drama on presentations to hospital for self poisoning: time series and questionnaire study. BMJ 1999;
318(7189):972-977.
Page 16
(12) Wikipedia. Elvis Presley. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley Accessed 10-10-2005.
(13) Elvis.com. All About Elvis Biography: 1935 - 1957. Available at
http://elvis.com/elvisology/bio/elvis_1935_1957_4.asp Accessed 10-10-2005.
(14) Elvis.com. All About Elvis: TV Guest Appearances. Available at
http://elvis.com/elvisology/film/elvis_appearances.asp Accessed 10-10-2005.
(15) Infoplease.com. 1976-1977 Emmy Awards. Available at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0151556.html
Accessed 10-10-2005.
(16) Wikipedia. John Belushi. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Belushi Accessed 10-10-2005.
(17) Wikipedia. Anissa Jones. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anissa_Jones Accessed 10-10-2005.
(18) Findadeath.com. Anissa Jones. Available at
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/j/Anissa%20Jones/anissa_jones.htm Accessed 10-10-2005.
(19) Wikipedia. Chris Farley. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Farley Accessed 10-10-2005.
(20) Findadeath.com. Chris Farley. Available at
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/F/Chris%20Farley/chris_farley.htm Accessed 10-10-2005.
(21) Sitcomsonline.com. Dana Plato. Available at http://www.sitcomsonline.com/danaplato.html Accessed
10-10-2005.
(22) Danaplato.net. Biography of Dana Michelle Plato. Available at http://www.danaplato.net/biography.htm
Accessed 10-11-2005.
(23) Thesmokinggun.com. Dana Plato. Available at http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/danaplato10.html
Accessed 10-10-2005.
(24) IMDb.com. Biography for Lani O'Grady. Available at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0641110/bio
Accessed 10-10-2005.
(25) Errico, M. Coroner: "Eight Is Enough" Star OD'd. Available at
http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,9390,00.html Accessed 10-10-2005.
(26) IMDb.com. Biography for Glenn Quinn. Available at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0703849/bio
Accessed 10-10-2005.
(27) Wikipedia. Glenn Quinn. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Quinn Accessed 10-10-2005.
(28) Wikipedia. Trevor Goddard. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_Goddard Accessed
10-10-2005.
(29) IMDb.com. Biography for Robert Pastorelli. Available at http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0665123/bio
Accessed 10-10-2005.
(30) Wikipedia. Robert Pastorelli. Available at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Pastorelli Accessed
Page 17
10-10-2005.
(31) Thesmokinggun.com. Robert Pastorelli. Available at
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0408042past1.html Accessed 10-10-2005.
(32) Jarvis,EG; Johe,L. Final Curtain: Deaths of Noted Movie and Television Personalities. 9 ed. Secaucus,
N.J.: Carol Publishing Group, 1998.
(33) Kochanek KD, Murphy SL, Anderson RN, Scott C. Deaths: final data for 2002. Natl Vital Stat Rep 2004;
53(5):1-115.
(34) Butterworth M; Brower K. Beauty Ideals in the Media. Available at
http://www.uweb.ucsb.edu/~kbrow01/timeline.htm Accessed 10-10-2005.
(35) Tousignant M, Mishara BL, Caillaud A, Fortin V, St Laurent D. The impact of media coverage of the
suicide of a well-known Quebec reporter: the case of Gaetan Girouard. Soc Sci Med 2005; 60(9):1919-1926.
The above article is based upon a presentation made by the authors, at the 2005 Society meeting, held at
the North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology, in Orlando, Florida.
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John H. Trestrail III
TOXICOLOGICAL HISTORY SOCIETY
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