Ripples

 

The day before Halloween (All Hallows Eve Eve?) I made a passing comment about the Tylenol tampering murders that confused a few people. I keep forgetting many of my friends were either not born when this happened, or were too young to follow the news. It started late in September 1982, in Chicago. Seven people – three from the same family – died shortly after taking Extra-Strength Tylenol laced with cyanide. At first, it was assumed the medicine had been tainted in production. J & J halted manufacturing and issued dire warnings. Then it was discovered the capsules had been purchased, tampered with, and replaced on shelves. The random (Or were they?) murders spawned a case of extortion, a mistaken-identity shooting, and hundreds of copycat murders and attempts. They changed the way medicines and other products are packaged. Yes, they put a serious damper on trick-or-treating for a while. And the original murderer was never found.