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Dr Michael Mosley explores how scientists went from finding antidotes to poisons to applying poisons as cures, a story that encompasses the planet's most deadly substances.

Dr Michael Mosley ends the series with a look at poisons, exploring the turning points when scientists went from finding antidotes to poisons to applying poisons as cures, and celebrating the eccentrics and mavericks whose breakthroughs were to pave the way for some of the most striking treatments of modern medicine. Of the medicines explored in this series, those that are derived from poisons are perhaps the most extraordinary. The story of turning poisons into medicines encompasses the planet's most deadly substances, in which we turned killers into cures.

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1 hour

Last on

Tue 1 Jun 202123:55
BBC Four

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Music Played

  • Luke Richards

    Last Man On Earth

Credits

PresenterMichael Mosley
ProducerGiles Harrison
DirectorGiles Harrison
Series ProducerSteve Crabtree
Executive ProducerTina Fletcher-Hill

Broadcasts

  • Thu 17 Oct 201321:00
    BBC Four
  • Fri 18 Oct 201302:40
    BBC Four
  • Tue 22 Oct 201323:30
    BBC Four
  • Sat 8 Feb 201420:00
    BBC Four
  • Sun 9 Feb 201402:45
    BBC Four
  • Wed 12 Feb 201400:15
    BBC Four
  • Thu 5 Mar 201520:00
    BBC Four
  • Tue 4 Oct 201622:45
    BBC Four
  • Tue 27 Jun 201720:00
    BBC Four
  • Wed 28 Jun 201702:00
    BBC Four
  • Thu 7 Jun 201823:00
    BBC Four
  • Thu 31 Oct 201923:30
    BBC Four
  • Mon 4 May 202016:00
    Red Button One
  • Tue 5 May 202015:00
    Red Button One
  • Tue 5 May 202020:00
    BBC Four
  • Wed 6 May 202002:30
    BBC Four
  • Wed 6 May 202018:00
    Red Button One
  • Thu 7 May 202016:00
    Red Button One
  • Fri 8 May 202017:00
    Red Button One
  • Fri 15 May 202017:00
    Red Button One
  • Tue 1 Jun 202123:55
    BBC Four

Featured in...

  • Pain, Pus and Poison

    Michael Mosley tells the story of the creation of our most useful and valuable drugs.

Michael Mosley on the drugs derived from deadly poisons

Michael Mosley on the drugs derived from deadly poisons

Discovering the unlikely source of many of our remarkable medicines.

Find out more on Infection, Poison and Managing long term health conditions with the Open University

Find out more on Infection, Poison and Managing long term health conditions with the Open University

Find out more with the Open University.