Dr Rawlinson

In the Miss Marple short story The Thumb Mark of St. Peter, Dr Rawlinson is the doctor who attended Geoffrey Denman when he was taken ill after dinner and subsequently died. Dr Rawlinson questioned the cook and came to the conclusion that Denman had died from eating poisonous mushrooms.

Miss Marple described Dr Rawlinson as "an old dodderer". He was a "nice old man, kindly, vague, and so shortsighted as to be pitiful, slightly deaf." He was "touchy and sensitive to the last degree." He stuck to his conclusion although Miss Marple was not sure whether this was just obstinacy or genuine belief.

Denman had died of atropine poisoning. There were definite symptoms such as the dilated pupils of the eyes. But Miss Marple surmised that Dr Rawlinson, being very shortsighted, may not have noticed.