"The Dose Makes the Poison"

Paracelsus is credited with the idea that substances can be harmful depending on dose; his fuller statement is commonly rendered: “All things are poison, and nothing is without poison; solely the dose determines that something is not a poison.” This is an important toxicological principle, but the shorthand omits route and duration of exposure, individual susceptibility, and the specific substance. It does not mean any poison is safe to consume in a small amount.