>[!abstract] >The dose makes the poison (Latin: *dosis sola facit venenum*) is an adage (1493–1541) credited to Paracelsus intended to indicate a basic principle of toxicology. It means that a substance can produce the harmful effect associated with its toxic properties only if it reaches a susceptible biological system within the body in a high enough concentration (i.e., dose). The principle relies on the finding that all chemicals —even water and oxygen— can be toxic if too much is eaten, drunk, or absorbed. The idea also describes the phenomenon in which poisonous substances can be medicinal in small doses. ("The dose makes the poison", 2025). ## References - The dose makes the poison. (2025, January 29). In *Wikipedia*. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Paracelsus&oldid=1272148322