Historic development of forensic toxicology in America up to 1978

The development of forensic toxicology in the United States is reviewed from colonial times. Medical education started expanding after Independence, but no program in medical jurisprudence existed until 1804, when Dr. James S. Stringham initiated such a teaching program at Columbia University in New York City. Since then, instruction in medical jurisprudence has become more or less a part of the medical school's curriculum. Little has been written in the field of toxicology in contrast to overall European development. With the availability of contributions from European and British authors, the development of chemical toxicology in this country started to take shape, with significant progress occurring after the Civil War. The original contributions in toxicology were done by Drs. Wormley, Reese, and Witthaus. The faults of the coroner system led its replacement in Massachusetts with the office of medical examiner in 1877. The Chief Medical Examiner's Office of New York started functioning in 1918 and a toxicology laboratory was founded under the direction of Dr. Alexander Gettler, whose students spread the ideas of toxicology throughout the country. This institution is regarded as the birthplace of American forensic toxicology. Other significant events include the formation of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences after World War II and the establishment of the American Board of Forensic Toxicology in 1975; both have contributed greatly to the development of forensic toxicology in the United States.