Ian Wark Research Institute
ARC Special Research Centre
ARC Special Research Centre
Dr Ivan Kempson,
Research Fellow at The Wark, in conjunction with Mr Dermott Henry from
Museum Victoria, have released findings showing that Australia's most
famous racehorse was poisoned by ingesting a large dose of arsenic
approximately 35 hours prior to death.
By analysing a strand of Phar Lap's hair using the intense beam of
X-rays generated by a synchrotron, Dr Kempson was able to determine that
the type and distribution of arsenic in the hair structure was
consistent with a single large dose of the poison being present in the
horse's blood supply. These findings were released to the public in late
October 2006.
Dr Kempson has been funded by an Australian Synchrotron Research Program
Fellowship for the past 3 years, studying the application of synchrotron
analysis techniques to the forensic and environmental sciences. Dr
Kempson and Mr Henry were awarded a $20,000 grant by the Victorian
Minister for Innovation and Treasurer, Mr John Brumby, to assist in
further research into the Phar Lap case.
