Women of Controversy: Giulia Tofana

Giulia Tofana (c. 1620) was a 17th century Italian apothecary with a dark secret. Unhappily married women visited her shop in Rome to purchase her specially formulated, slow-acting poison. When their husbands mysteriously died of “sudden illnesses,” authorities struggled to trace the true cause of death—poison—back to Giulia.

For Further Reading:

• Aqua Tofana: slow-poisoning and husband-killing in 17th century Italy | A Blast From The Past
• Aqua Tofana: The Poison That Killed Hundreds In 17th-Century Italy
• When makeup can kill: The sinister tale of Giulia Tofana | The Business Standard
• Giulia Tofana: World's Most Dangerous Apothecary

This month we're talking about women who found themselves at the center of controversy -- whether deserved or not.

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