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TIL William Halsted, a pioneering surgeon from the 19th century who discovered anesthetic properties of cocaine, eventually got addicted to it. He signed himself up in a sanatorium where his addiction was “treated” with morphine. He remained a morphine addict for the rest of his life

jN6ma TIL that it is not possible to resign from the UK Parliament. To "resign", a Member requests that the Queen appoint him/her as "Royal Steward" of a manor (with no duties or pay). Working for Queen while serving in Parliament is illegal, and so by doing this, the Member is ejected from Parliament.
69m5J TIL that serial killer Luis Garavito (killer of 193-300+ children) planned to become a politician, pastor, and pediatric social worker upon his release from prison after the Colombian government reduced his sentencing to 22 years. He died in 2023 just months before he was to be released.
NXw78 TIL There is a hamlet in Montenegro called Japan. The most popular source attributes the name to a soldier who told the Montenegrin king his greatest wish is to bring water to the village from the source of Brituljak. When asked of its location, the soldier added it's as far away as Japan.
4XQdJ TIL The Pirate voice. comes from one person, from Robert Newton's performance in Treasure Island in 1950, an exaggeration of his Cornwall accent.
x6kNg TIL The barrels of guns are so called because they were literally constructed like wooden barrels with hoops and staves, as can be seen in this blown out section of Mons Meg from 1449.