Have you ever wondered why medications come with the warning not to purchase if there is no safety seal? The answer is because of Tylenol.

Approximately 40 years ago there were no safety seals and only tops on medications. It was generally accepted that people would not tamper with the products. However, this outlook was questioned when seven people died in only three days in 1982. They had all taken an Extra-Strength Tylenol pill. However, none of them knew that they had been laced with potassium cyanide.

These took place in Chicago, but had been sold at a variety of stores in the surrounding area. The result was a nationwide recall. Almost immediately after, tamper-proof seals came into being.

The leading theory is that one person visited various stores, laced the Tylenol, and put it back on the shelves; however, the supposed motive is unknown. Some believed the killer to be James Lewis, a man who spent 13 years in prison for extorting Johnson & Johnson. We may never know the true story, but we can be thankful for safety caps!

Photo source: Youtube