This episode was our very first microdose made available to our patrons. Florence Maybrick was accused of fatally poisoning her husband, James Maybrick, with arsenic in 1899. She was tried and found guilty, but was justice served?

In this season 2 finale episode, Kayla relates the drama of the mysterious death of Jane Stanford by strychnine to Venus. Did she die from natural causes, or was our Mr. Body killed in the hotel room with the bottle of poison?

1. Christie, A., The Mysterious Affair at Styles. Project Gutenberg: gutenberg.org, 1997. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/863/863-h/863-h.htm#chap03(accessed 16 Nov 2021).

2. Cutler, R. W. P., The Mysterious Death of Jane Stanford. Stanford University Press: Stanford, 2003.

3. Kang, L.; Pedersen, N., Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything. Workman Publishing Co., Inc.: New York, 2017.

4. Strychnine. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/57249.html.

5. Dillon, S. R. Death and Kinetics. https://www.chem.fsu.edu/chemlab/chm1020c/Lecture%208/02.php.

6. Harkup, K., A is for Arsenic: The Poisons of Agatha Christie. New York: Bloombsbury Sigma, 2015.

7. Hoffman, R. S.; Howland, M. A.; Lewin, N. A.; Nelson, L. S.; Goldfrank, L. R., Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 10th ed.; McGraw-Hill Education: New York, 2015.

8. Baselt, R. C., Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man. 2nd ed.; Biomedical Publications: Davis, CA, 1982.

Wash your damn hands! Kayla and Venus talk with Bryce Cherven of Pastry Unicorn to discuss a slew of salmonella typhi poisonings at the hands of Mary Mallon in the late 1910's.

1. Typhoid Fever. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/diseases/typhoid.

2. Typhoid fever. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/typhoid-fever/symptoms-causes/syc-20378661.

3. Goldman, B. Scientists get a handle on what made Typhoid Mary's infectious microbes tick Stanford Medicine Magazine [Online], 2013. https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2013/08/scientists-get-a-handle-on-what-made-typhoid-marys-infectious-microbes-tick.html.

4. Ashurst, J. V.; Truong, J.; Woodbury, B., Salmonella Typhi. StatPearls Publishing: Treasure Island, FL, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519002/.

5. What is Salmonella? https://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-salmonella.

Happy Halloween! This episode, we discuss one of the few instances of poisoned candy at Halloween with the 1858 Bradford Sweets Poisoning.

1. Arsenic Trioxide; ThermoFisher Scientific: fishersci.pt, 2020.

2. Ratnaike, R. N., Acute and chronic arsenic toxicity. Postgrad Med J 2003, 79, 391-396.

3. Parascandola, J., King of Poisons. Potomac Books: Washington, D.C., 2012.

4. Kang, L.; Pedersen, N., Quackery: A Brief History of the Worst Ways to Cure Everything. Workman Publishing Co., Inc.: New York, 2017.

5. Hart, F. L., A history of the adulteration of food before 1906. Food Drug Cosmet Law J 1952, 7 (1), 5-22.

6. London, J., Tragedy, Transformation, and Triumph: Comparing the Factors and Forces that Led to the Adoption of the 1860 Adulteration Act in England and the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act in the United States. Food Drug Law J 2014, 69 (2), 315-342.

7. The Poisonings by Arsenic at Bradford. The Bedfordshire Mercury Monday, November 15, 1858, 1858.

8. Clayton, P.; Rowbotham, J., An unsuitable and degraded diet? Part two: realities of the mid-Victorian diet. J R Soc Med 2008, 101 (7), 350-357.

9. Wholesale Poisoning by Arsenic at Bradford. The Pharmaceutical Journal and Transactions 1858, XVIII, 340-342.

10. Emsley, J., The Elements of Murder. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2005.

11. John Henry Bell, M.D., M.R.C.S., Consulting Surgeon, Bradford Eye and Ear Hospital; Consulting Medical Officer, Bradford Royal Infirmary. BMJ 1906, 2 (2386), 735-736.

12. Dyer, P., The 1900 arsenic poisoning epidemic. Brewery History 2009, 130, 65-85.

13. Blum, D., The Poison Squad. Penguin Press: New York, 2018.

Don't believe everything you see in the movies. Spiking someone's drink with eye drops containing tetrahydrozoline won't get you more face time with Rachel McAdams, but it might kill Bradley Cooper. On this episode, Kayla and Venus discuss how Lana Clayton murdered her husband Steve Clayton in 2018.

1. Hagwood, R. S. Philanthropist Steven D. Clayton laid to rest, a year after his death South Florida Sun Sentinel [Online], 2019. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/obituaries/fl-ne-steven-clayton-obit-eye-drop-murder-20190721-3ozh3dkgpjbvdjvivdlpcde5pq-story.html (accessed 23 Sep 2021).

2. Van Sant, P., S.C. nurse who fatally poisoned huband with eye drops: "I just wanted him to suffer". In The Eye Drop Homicide, CBS Interactive, Inc.: CBS News, 2021.

3. . Lake Wylie woman to spend 25 years in prison for fatally poisoning husband with eye drops WSOC-TV [Online], 2020. https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/lake-wylie-woman-accused-killing-husband-with-eye-drops-appear-court/IBBQWHZ63BARZDAD5Z7GWK5ZIY/ (accessed 22 Sep 2021).

4. . Women gets 25 years in prison for poisoning husband with eye drops: "I never thought it would kill him" CBS News [Online], 2020. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lana-clayton-sentenced-25-years-prison-poisoning-husband-steven-clayton-eye-drops-york-south-carolina/ (accessed 22 Sep 2021).

5. Minimal Risk. https://www.fda.gov/patients/informed-consent-clinical-trials/minimal-risk (accessed 23 Sep 2021).

6. Drug Scheduling. https://www.dea.gov/drug-information/drug-scheduling (accessed 23 Sep 2021).

7. Hoffman, R. S.;  Howland, M. A.;  Lewin, N. A.;  Nelson, L. S.; Goldfrank, L. R., Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 10th ed.; McGraw-Hill Education: New York, 2015.

8. McLaurin, E.;  Cavet, M. E.;  Gomes, P. J.; Ciolino, J. B., Brimonidine ophthalmic solution 0.025% for reduction of ocular redness: a randomized clinical trial. Optom Vis Sci 2018, 95 (3), 264-271.

9. Churchill, J.; Soglin, A. Red-Eye Drops: Poisonous to Drink, Safe if Used Correctly. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/treatments/red-eye-drops-safe-if-used-correctly (accessed 22 Sep 2021).

10. Tetrahydrozoline. https://web.archive.org/web/20170103190214/https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7471 (accessed 22 Sep 2021).

11. Polyethylene glycol 8000 (PEG); ThermoFisher Scientific: fishersci.com, 25 Apr 2019, 2019.

12. Polyvinyl alcohol, 75-100% hydrolyzed, M.W. 2000-95000; ThermoFisher Scientific: fishersci.com, 11 Oct 2007, 2007.

13. Polyvinylpyrrolidone; ThermoFisher Scientific: fishersci.com, 18 Jan 2018, 2018; p 6.

14. Carboxymethyl cellulose, sodium salt; ThermoFisher Scientific: fishersci.com, 19 Jan 2018, 2018; p 6.

15. Dextran sulfate, sodium salt; ThermoFisher Scientific: fishersci.com, 17 Oct 2019, 2019; p 6.

16. Becker, L. C.;  Bergfeld, W. F.;  Belsito, D. V.;  Hill, R. A.;  Klaassen, C. D.;  Liebler, D. C.;  Marks, J. G.;  Shank, R. C.;  Slaga, T. J.;  Snyder, P. W.;  Gill, L. J.; Heldreth, B., Safety Assessment of Glycerin as Used in Cosmetics. Int J Tox 2019, 38, 6S-22S.

17. Hypromellose 2910, 4000 MPA-S, USP; Spectrum Chemical: spectrumchemical.com, 11 Sep 2018, 2018; p 11.

18. Tetrahydrozoline (hydrochloride); Cayman Chemical: caymanchem.com, 09 Oct 2017, 2017; p 5.

19. Roppolo, M. Former paramedic, accused of killing wife with eyedrops, facing arson charges CBS News [Online], 2021. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/joshua-hunsucker-helicopter-arson-charges/ (accessed 23 Sep 2021).

The times are changing, but not fast enough. Venus and Kayla discuss the use of ketamine by emergency medical personnel under the direction of police forces in the United States and how the drug contributed to the death of James Britt, Jr. in 2019. 

1. James Claude Britt Jr. https://obits.postandcourier.com/us/obituaries/charleston/name/james-britt-obituary?id=2084215(accessed 24 Aug 2021).

2. Wiggins, L. In-Custody Death Britt, Jr., James C.; South Carolina Law Enforcement Division: Columbia, South Carolina, 2020; p 29.

3. Bailey, S. Bailey: Handcuffed and shackled, he died after getting a shot of ketamine The Post and Courier [Online], 2020. https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/bailey-handcuffed-and-shackled-he-died-after-getting-a-shot/article_bf30b3a8-5a2c-11ea-8016-e30b4054f145.html?utm_source=The%20Marshall%20Project%20Newsletter&utm_campaign=fdd0cfc34c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_03_04_12_49&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5e02cdad9d-fdd0cfc34c-174354037(accessed 24 Aug 2021).

4. Orhurhu, V. J.; Vashisht, R.; Claus, L. E.; Cohen, S. P., Ketamine Toxicity. In StatPearls [Internet], StatPearls Publishing: Treasure Island, FL, 2021.

5. Kofsky, J.; Weismann, L. Bill calls for banning incapacitations of S.C. criminal suspects with ketamine WMBF News [Online], 2021. https://www.wmbfnews.com/2021/01/14/bill-calls-banning-incapacitations-sc-criminal-suspects-with-ketamine/(accessed 25 Aug 2021).

6. . ESO Publishes Peer-Reviewed Paper on Prehospital Ketamine Use at a National Level Business Wire [Online], 2021. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210611005060/en/ESO-Publishes-Peer-Reviewed-Paper-On-Prehospital-Ketamine-Use-At-A-National-Level (accessed 25 Aug 2021).

7. Gliha, L. J. Problem Solvers Investigation: Colorado paramedics injecting sedative ketamine into agitated patients KDVR [Online], 2019. https://kdvr.com/news/local/problem-solvers-investigation-colorado-paramedics-injecting-sedative-ketamine-into-agitated-patients/ (accessed 25 Aug 2021).

8. Gliha, L. J. State launches investigation after Problem Solvers obtain footage of South Metro ketamine incident KDVR [Online], 2020. https://kdvr.com/news/problem-solvers/state-launches-investigation-after-problem-solvers-obtain-new-footage-of-south-metro-ketamine-incident/ (accessed 25 Aug 2021).

9. Gliha, L. J. State chief medical officer says 'more to come' on Colorado ketamine program KDVR [Online], 2020. https://kdvr.com/news/state-chief-medical-officer-says-more-to-come-on-colorado-ketamine-program/ (accessed 25 Aug 2021).

10. Hoffman, R. S.;  Howland, M. A.;  Lewin, N. A.;  Nelson, L. S.; Goldfrank, L. R., Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 10th ed.; McGraw-Hill Education: New York, 2015.

11. Stone, B.; Bledsoe, B.; Davis, K.; Hax, S. D.; Hodnick, R. Ketamine's Versatility Makes it a Powerful Tool for EMS JEMS [Online], 2017. https://www.jems.com/patient-care/ketamine-s-versatility-makes-it-a-powerful-tool-for-ems/(accessed 25 Aug 2021).

For more citations, visit us at Patreon.com

Do you know what the worst manmade medical disaster in history was? It wasn't all that long ago! Venus and Kayla discuss the poison that caused thousands of severe birth defects worldwide and has still yet to be fully addressed.

1. Ballentine, C. Sulfanilamide Disaster FDA Consumer [Online], 1981.  (accessed 12 Aug 2021).

2. Ruthenberg, K., Chapter 6: About the Futile Dream of an Entirely Riskless and Fully Effective Remedy: Thalidomide. In Ethics of Chemistry, Schummer, J.; Børsen, T., Eds. Aalborg University: Denmark, 2021; pp 141-167.

3. Rägo, L.; Santoso, B., Drug Regulation: History, Present and Future. In Drug Benefits and Risks: International Textbook of Clinical Pharmacology, revised 2nd ed., World Health Organization: who.int, 2008; pp 65-77.

4. Thomas, K. The Unseen Survivors of Thalidomide Want to be Heard The New York Times [Online], 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/23/health/thalidomide-survivors-usa.html (accessed 10 Aug 2021).

5. Kim, J. H.; Scialli, A. R., Thalidomide: The tragedy of birth defects and the effective treatment of disease. Tox Sci 2011, 122 (1), 1-6.

6. Thalidomide. https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects-and-stories/medicine/thalidomide (accessed 24 Mar 2021).

7. McNeill, L. The Woman Who Stood Between America and a Generation of 'Thalidomide Babies' Smithsonian Magazine [Online], 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/woman-who-stood-between-america-and-epidemic-birth-defects-180963165/ (accessed 24 Mar 2021).

8. Vargesson, N., Thalidomide-induced teratogenesis: History and mechanisms. Birth Defects Research Part C: Embryo Today 2015, 105 (2), 140-156.

9. Bren, L., The Road to the Biotech Revolution - Highlights of 100 Years of Biologics Regulation. FDA Consumer 2006.

10. West, J. G. The accidental poison that founded the modern FDA The Atlantic [Online], 2018.  (accessed 2018).

11. Thalomid® (thalidomide) capsules - AU Product Information. In Australian Government Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration: ebs.tga.gov.au, 2020; p 25.

On this season 2 premiere episode, Kayla and Venus talk with model and actress Saucy Stassi about the fentanyl-related death of Bailey Henke and the DEA operation that it inspired. Content warning for brief mention of sexual assault in the introduction.

1. Kolpack, D. Portland man says he will plead guilty to dealing fentanyl KATU2ABC [Online], 2015. https://katu.com/news/local/portland-man-says-he-will-plead-guilty-to-dealing-fentanyl (accessed 02 Aug 2021).

2. Painkiller: America's Fentanyl Crisis. Hamilton, K., Ed. Vice Media LLC: painkiller.vice.com, 2020.

3. Oregon Man Pleads Guilty for Role in Multiple Overdose Deaths and Injuries in 'Operation Denial'. Department of Justice U.S. Attorney's Office District of North Dakota: justice.gov, 2016.

4. Shirley, H. Man found guilty in North Dakota court for involvement in international fentanyl trafficking ring The Dickinson Press [Online], 2021. https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/news/crime-and-courts/7113905-Man-found-guilty-in-North-Dakota-court-for-involvement-in-international-fentanyl-trafficking-ring (accessed 03 Aug 2021).

5. Two Quebec Men Extradited to North Dakota from Canada as Part of 'Operation Denial'. The United States Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs: justice.gov, 2021.

6. Hamilton, K. Overdoses are being treated like murders more than ever and it's bullshit VICE [Online], 2017. https://www.vice.com/en/article/434q9g/overdoses-are-being-treated-like-murders-more-than-ever-and-its-bullshit (accessed 03 Aug 2021).

7. Stanley, T. H., The Fentanyl Story. J Pain 2014, 15 (12), 1215-1226.

8. Golan, D. E.;  Tashjian, A. H., Jr.;  Armstrong, E. J.; Armstrong, A. W., Principles of Pharmacology. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins: Baltimore, 2008.

9. Henzi, I.;  Sonderegger, J.; Tramèr, M., Efficacy, dose-response, and adverse effects of droperidol for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting. Can J Anesth 2000, 47 (6), 537-551.

10. Public Hearing on Fentanyl and Synthetic Cannabinoids. In Drug and Cehmical Control Unit, United States Sentencing Commission: ussc.gov, 2017.

11. Han, Y.;  Yan, W.;  Zheng, Y.;  Khan, M. Z.;  Yuan, K.; Lu, L., The rising crisis of illicit fentanyl use, overdose, and potential therapeutic strategies. Translational Psychiatry 2019, 9 (282), 9.

12. Hoffman, R. S.;  Howland, M. A.;  Lewin, N. A.;  Nelson, L. S.; Goldfrank, L. R., Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 10th ed.; McGraw-Hill Education: New York, 2015.

13. Fox, M. Drug overdose deaths in 2020 hit highest number ever recorded, CDC data shows CNN health [Online], 2021. https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/14/health/drug-overdose-deaths-2020/index.html (accessed 05 Aug 2021).

14. Prentzel, O. Fentanyl-related deaths more than double in El Paso County The Gazette [Online], 2021. https://gazette.com/premium/fentanyl-related-deaths-more-than-double-in-el-paso-county/article_63517d20-a200-11eb-b0ac-ff7e4f7b2f9e.html (accessed 05 Aug 2021).

15. Opioid Overdose Deaths by Race/Ethnicity. https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/opioid-overdose-deaths-by-raceethnicity/?activeTab=graph¤tTimeframe=0&startTimeframe=20&selectedRows=%7B%22wrapups%22:%7B%22united-states%22:%7B%7D%7D%7D&sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D (accessed 05 Aug 2021).

16. Borden, T. 2 jobs police officers are asked to do that could be better suited to other professionals INSIDER [Online], 2020. https://www.businessinsider.com/defunding-the-police-what-others-may-do-better-2020-6 (accessed 05 Aug 2021).

17. Good Samaritan Overdose Prevention Laws. https://drugpolicy.org/issues/good-samaritan-fatal-overdose-prevention-laws (accessed 05 Aug 2021).

In this follow-up Patreon exclusive video to our main channel Birth Control Pill episode, Venus and Kayla discuss hormones, sexism, and genocide. Get ready to get mad. Trigger warnings for body talk including numbers and BMI, and for talk of incarceration and racism.

The history of the first hormonal birth control pill is a sordid tale of ethical violations committed against Puerto Rican women in the late 1950's by Harvard researchers, Proctor & Gamble, and funded by the founder of Planned Parenthood.

1. A Timeline of Contraception. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-timeline/ (accessed 03 May 2021).

2. Burnette, B. R. Comstock Act of 1873 (1873). https://www.mtsu.edu/first-amendment/article/1038/comstock-act-of-1873 (accessed 03 May 2021).

3. Brooks, C. F., The early history of the anti-contraceptive laws in Massachusetts and Connecticut. American Quarterly 1966, 18 (1), 3-23.

4. Eveleth, R. Lysol's Vintage Ads Subtly Pushed Women to Use Its Disinfectant as Birth Control Smithsonian Magazine [Online], 2013. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/lysols-vintage-ads-subtly-pushed-women-to-use-its-disinfectant-as-birth-control-218734/ (accessed 03 May 2021).

5. Latson, J. What Margaret Sanger Really Said About Eugenics and Race Time [Online], 2016. https://time.com/4081760/margaret-sanger-history-eugenics/ (accessed 03 May 2021).

6. Kelly, A. Fact Check: Was Planned Parenthood Started to 'Control' the Black Population? NPR [Online], 2015. https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/08/14/432080520/fact-check-was-planned-parenthood-started-to-control-the-black-population (accessed 03 May 2021).

7. Cooper, D. B.; Mahdy, H., Oral Contraceptive Pills. StatPearls Publishing: Treasure Island, FL, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430882/ (accessed 04 May 2021).

8. The Puerto Rico Pill Trials. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-puerto-rico-pill-trials/ (accessed 03 May 2021).

9. Roberts, W. C., Facts and Ideas from Anywhere. Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings 2017, 28 (3), 421-432.

10. Vargas, T. Guinea pigs or pioneers? How Puerto Rican women were used to test the birth control pill Washington Post [Online], 2017. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/retropolis/wp/2017/05/09/guinea-pigs-or-pioneers-how-puerto-rican-women-were-used-to-test-the-birth-control-pill/ (accessed 03 May 2021).

11. Sitruk-Ware, R., Non-clinical studies of progesterone. Climacteric 2018, 21 (4), 315-320.

12. Ortho Micronor. https://www.rxlist.com/ortho-micronor-drug.htm#indications (accessed 04 May 2021).

13. Aygestin. https://www.rxlist.com/aygestin-drug.htm (accessed 04 May 2021).

14. Blakemore, E. The First Birth Control Pill Used Puerto Rican Women as Guinea Pigs History [Online], 2019. https://www.history.com/news/birth-control-pill-history-puerto-rico-enovid.

15. Svoboda, E., Innovative forms of contraception could offer more choice for controlling fertility. Nature 2020, 588, S166-S167.

16. Rosendaal, F. R.; Van Hylckama Vlieg, A.; Tanis, B. C.; Helmerhorst, F. M., Estrogens, progestogens and thrombosis. J Thrombosis Haemostasis 2003, 1, 1371-1380.

17. Ethynyl Estradiol; Cayman Chemical: caymanchem.com, 2020.

18. Quintanilla, R. Puerto Ricans recall being guinea pigs for 'magic pill' Chicago Tribune [Online], 2004. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2004-04-11-0404110509-story.html (accessed 03 May 2021).

19. Liao, P. V.; Dollin, J., Half a century of the oral contraceptive pill. Can Fam Physician 2012, 58, e757-760.

20. Estradiol. https://www.rxlist.com/consumer_estradiol/drugs-condition.htm (accessed 04 May 2021).

21. Miller, K. Why It's Tough to Directly Compare the J&J Vaccine Blood Clots to Those Linked to Birth Control Health [Online], 2021. https://www.health.com/condition/infectious-diseases/coronavirus/jj-vaccine-blood-clots-birth-control (accessed 04 May 2021).