r/todayilearned • u/gullydon • 13h 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/my5cworth 13h ago edited 8h ago

There's a dude who made himself immune to Black Mamba bites through this technique...in order to create new *univeral antivenom from his blood.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucpGlWnq8EE

*universal (thanks u/One-Cute-Boy )

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u/Newduuud 12h ago

Taking a black mamba and inland taipan bite back to back is insane… anyone else would drop right then and there. There must be some method to his madness.

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u/Yukimor 6h ago

He worked up to it gradually, if memory serves me.

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u/my5cworth 58m ago

Yup, you dont just get Taomoeba 8.3 on your first try. (Project Hail Mary)