Arthur Conan Doyle’s Apocalypse.

 Arthur Conan Doyle’s Apocalypse.

There are several advantages to being a Detective with the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection. One of them is discovering the lesser known works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Among these is The Poison Belt. 

The Poison Belt was originally published in The Strand Magazine between March and July, 1913. It’s publication as a book followed in August, 1913. It was Arthur Conan Doyle’s second book featuring the character of Professor Challenger - having been preceded by The Lost World, ( 1912. ) The other characters in The Lost World - Lord John Roxton, Edward Malone, and Professor Summerlee - also return in The Poison Belt.

In the story, Professor Challenger summons his companions to his house outside London. They are advised to bring a supply of oxygen with them, as Challenger believes that the Earth is moving into a belt of ‘ poisonous ether. ‘ As Professor Challenger writes to the Times; “ …it may be a change in the conducting medium, in that infinitely fine ether which extends from star to star and pervades the whole universe. “

Confined to a room in the house, Professor Challenger and his companions eventually run out of oxygen. Fearing the worst, they are forced to open a window. However, they do not die. Concluding that the Earth has passed through the poison belt, Professor Challenger and his party ( which also includes Challenger’s wife ) drive to London. On the way they encounter widespread death and destruction - as they also do in London - as fires break out and machines run amok.

Upon returning to Challenger’s house, the Professor and his companions discover that the effect of the ether is temporary. Mankind reawakens, to hopefully build a better world.

It has been suggested that Arthur Conan Doyle was inspired to write The Poison Belt following the return of Halley’s Comet in 1910.

This famous comet returns to our Solar System every 76 years. It is named after the astronomer Edmund Halley, who first correctly predicted it’s return in 1759. In 1910, Halley’s Comet passed quite close to Earth. Our planet was even due to pass through the tail of the comet on 19th May, 1910.

Traces of highly toxic cyanogen gas were detected in the tail of Halley’s Comet. This led the French astronomer Camille Flammarion to warn that the cyanogen gas, “ would impregnate the atmosphere and possibly snuff out all life on the planet. “

The newspapers of the day dutifully reported Camille Flammarion’s comments. Not surprisingly, this led to a run on gas masks. There was also a brisk trade in ‘ anti-comet pills ‘ and ‘ anti-comet umbrellas. ‘

Churches held all night prayer vigils, as people waited for the end. However, the Earth passed through the tail of Halley’s Comet without any ill effects.

Did the whole episode plant the seed for The Poison Belt in the mind of Arthur Conan Doyle ? We will probably never know, but it seems likely. Whatever the case, The Poison Belt remains an interesting early example of science fiction. It deserves to be read.

Now the Arthur Conan Doyle Detectives are planning a community based art project. This will be based on both The Lost World and The Poison Belt. The project will bring these books out of the shadows, to the wider attention of the public.

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