Sir Isaac Newton (From Bonus Eps)

Hello Poison Friends! This week I am posting an older Bonus episode from our Patreon while Erin is out of town and Mother's Day weekend pulls us away from the desk and microphones. We will have a new episode for you next weekend, though, and from there we'll continue our every other week status!

Sir Isaac Newton was big into alchemy and likely suffered from heavy metal poisoning because of it. I mean, God forbid the man acquires a hobby, right? Well, according to the Church of England (and his Anglican upbringing) it was forbidden. Technically, it was also banned to prevent the value of currency becoming moot as alchemy's main goals were to turn any metal to gold and to create the Philosopher's Stone--Yes, yes, we do mention Nicolas Flamel, because while he did not actually know any Dumbledores, he was real...or at least a figure written about. He had few friends and many rivals.

Newton has been called a genius of geniuses by many and still influences scientists today. Most of us know his Laws of Motion and his work explaining gravity and inventing Calculus. He was also known to be socially difficult, prone to angry outbursts, was fiercely competitive (but also insecure), and did not take criticism well. He also would have been labeled a heretic by the church of his time (and who doesn't love a rebel like that?).

His work in alchemy led to his exposure to some toxic heavy metals and the effects can be seen in his letters with friends and through witnesses who knew him best. He became a paranoid and confused shell of a man and we need to dissect what was a result of his toxic hobby.

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