In WW2 US tried to weaponize botulinum. Chinese prostitutes would receive capsules to kill Japanese officers who hired them. The plan was tested on donkeys, who survived so it was scrapped. That research led to the creation of Botox It was later discovered donkeys are immune to botulinum toxin.

The Origin of Botox: How It All Started

Botox is the face of the non-surgical cosmetic treatment industry. An estimated 6 million people undergo Botox treatments annually, and the Botox industry reached sales of nearly $1 billion in the last financial quarter alone.

But this trend is relatively new – in 2001, annual Botox sales were just around $300 million (source). Understanding Botox’s quick rise means understanding how Botox all started.

So where does Botox come from? Botox, or botulinum toxin type A, is a neurotoxin produced by a rod-shaped microorganism known as C. botulinum or Clostridium botulinum. Clostridium botulinum is an anaerobic bacterium found in soil and bodies of water around the world, only growing in oxygen-free environments (source).

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