This practice can be attested some herpetologists who claim that they have built up immunity to the bites of certain snakes.
The word is derived from Mithridates VI, the King of Pontus. As Mithridates grew older, he sought to fortify himself against assassination attempts. He exercised to increase his strength, carried a weapon, and dabbled with toxicology. Mithridates came across a paradox: lethal toxic substances can be beneficial when ingested in microscopic doses.
Mithridates regularly ingested small doses of poison, aiming to develop immunity against it, to become poison resistant: this practice, now called mithridatism, is named after him.
Having been defeated by Pompey, legend has it that Mithridates tried to commit suicide using poison but failed because of his immunity and so had to resort to having a mercenary run him through with his sword. After his death, he became known as Mithridates the Great.
What is mithridatism?
