Corps animaux et poisons

Abstract

A link between poisons and animal bodies is made throughout the modern era. The toxicological treatises of the 16th century show the ambiguity of animal bodies as regards poison and associate familiar and legendary animals such as the basilisk. From the 17th century, toxicological and legal knowledge became naturalized with a double process of mutation of toxicological knowledge and secularization of the crime of witchcraft. Italian, English, and French scientists experimented with poisons on animals to determine their effects. The case of the parliament of Toulouse allows us to observe the different transformations of poisons in witchcraft proceedings and the place of animal bodies. With the dediabolization of poison, it became possible to find signs of poisoning in the victim’s corpse or by testing the toxicity of ingested substances on animals. The sources show the marginality of these practices in France. Forensic medicine and toxicology are still in their protohistory.

Keywords

• poison
• animals
• experiments
• witchcraft
• France
• Early modern period