Why Voltaire Drank Bull’s Blood

Voltaire, an 18th-century French writer, is known for his wit and social critique. However, he also conducted an unusual experiment involving drinking fresh bull's blood to disprove an ancient myth. This myth, dating back to ancient times, claimed that bull's blood was a deadly poison. Ancient Greek scholars, including Aristotle and Nicander, believed that bull's blood solidified rapidly in the throat when swallowed, causing fatal asphyxiation. The myth persisted for centuries, with some even suggesting that "bull's blood" might have been a nickname for a plant-based poison or a toxic mineral like realgar. Voltaire decided to test the claim by drinking fresh bull's blood, and he confirmed that it did not harm him. The myth of bull's blood being poisonous serves as a reminder to verify the reliability of sources.