Spanish fly, a poison/aphrodisiac made from the blister beetle. Chemical form, cantharidin form the ancient Greek kantharis, or bettle. Powerful irritant vesicant (blister-inducing). Body of one beetle contains 5% cantharidin (mmm!) crushed powder is yellow/brown/olive. Hippocrates used the wings of the beetles to make plasters. In China, they were mixed with faeces, arsenic and wolfsbane to make a...stink bomb. 1670, mixed with dried moles and bat's blood to make a love charm by the magician, La Voisin. Known as pastilles Richelieu in France. The Maquis de Sade gave aniseed pastilles to prostitutes, in an orgy, 1772, then proceeded to fuck his manservant up the arse instead. Classy. Associated with the Medici's favourite poisons, aqua toffana or aquetta di Napoli. Mixed with arsenic, created by the Italian countess Toffana. She used four to six drops to administer a lethal dose. Test fir death induced by Spanish fly: the vesicación test. Internal organs of the dead were dissolved in oil and rubbed on the shaved skin of a rabbit, revealing a blistered effect.

Fuck, this shit is interesting.