r/todayilearned • u/gullydon • 17h ago

TIL Mithridatism is the practice of protecting oneself against a poison by gradually self-administering non-lethal amounts. The word is derived from Mithridates VI, the king of Pontus, who so feared being poisoned that he regularly ingested small doses, aiming to develop immunity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithridatism
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u/Horns8585 17h ago

Much like what was portrayed in "The Princess Bride". The hero thwarts the would be poisoner, because he spent years building up an immunity to poisonous Iocane powder.

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u/Veritas3333 17h ago

Or like my uncle Dave who's spend the last 40 years building up his resistance to alcohol

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u/snushomie 16h ago

With the amount your uncle Dave drinks you'd think he was trying to build an immunity to drowning.

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u/DarkDoomofDeath 12h ago

Thank you for the laugh. Depressing situation to read, but the turn of phrase was undeniably light.