Pliny the Elder records that a Roman knight, Cossinius, was killed after an Egyptian doctor, summoned by Emperor Nero to treat a skin condition (lichen), prescribed a fatal potion made from blister beetles (cantharides). The text, found in Naturalis Historia 29.33, reads: "Cossinium equitem Romanum amicitia Neronis principis notum, cum is lichene correptus esset, vocatus ex Aegypto medicus ob hanc valetudinem eius a Caesare, cum cantharidum potu praeparare voluisset, interemit". For more details, visit Academia.edu. [1]