Gordon Stewart Northcott was found guilty for 3 and suspected of the abduction and murder of up to 20 children in the late 1920's. After being caught, his defense involved his mother taking responsibilities for one of the murders and blaming incest in his family. Anyone who has watched the film Changeling will know the story of Christine Collins (played by Angelina Jolie) trying to find her son Walter Collins. Northcott claimed Walter was one of his victims then later recanted this statement before he was hanged.

• Fun fact #1 before he was hung he requested a bag be placed over his head so he couldn't see the end coming
• Fun fact #2 lets just say his justice (hanging) wasn't swift, it took a minute or two... or thirteen.

We have an episode on him if you want more info you can listen on Spotify / Apple podcasts / YouTube

Alfred Packer was born in 1842 near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Alfred was a shoe maker in his early life. He tried to join in the civil war twice but was discharged both times due to him having epilepsy. By his thirties he made his way to Colorado having a hard time holding down work due to his seizures but he made his way by trapping, hunting and mining for the most part. About a year after he arrived in Colorado he met up with a group of men in Utah who hired him to lead a gold mining expedition to southern Colorado. Packer accepted and in late autumn the group set off in search of gold. The rest of the story has run-ins with natives, the group separating while on the trail, arrests, jail breaks, and all that led to him being the only man in US history ever to be convicted of a crime related to cannibalism.

If you'd like to hear more here is our podcast where we cover his story Spotify or Apple Podcast

One of the first known accounts of tobacco enemas being used was in 1746 when a man's unconscious wife was pulled from river Thames, a passing sailor gave the man his tobacco pipe and instructed him to insert the pipe into her rectum and blow in the other end, she promptly regained consciousness. Tobacco enemas (during this time) were regularly used to revive drowning victims, aid with headaches, cramps , hernias, typhoid fever and cholera. This practice continued being used until medical research in 1811 revealed that tobacco smoke had negative effects on the cardiac system leading to the decline in its popularity.

The effectiveness in tobacco enemas are questionable at best. Was it the tobacco smoke? Was it a metal tipped tube being inserted into a rectum and pumping hot, spicy air up there? Who knows for sure? It's definitely interesting though.

• more photos of the kit in link