Takingaconfession，extortedbyanguishontherack，atitstruevaluenothingatall，thereisstillsufficientevidencetowarrantposterityinthebeliefoftheirguilt。Theywerefoundguilty，andcondemned，accordingtotheirdegreesofculpability，tovariouspunishments。LaSpara，Gratiosa，andthreeyoungwomen，whohadpoisonedtheirhusbands，werehangedtogetheratRome。Upwardsofthirtywomenwerewhippedpubliclythroughthestreets；andseveral，whosehighrankscreenedthemfrommoredegradingpunishment，werebanishedfromthecountry，andmulctedinheavyfines。Inafewmonthsafterwards，ninewomenmorewerehangedforpoisoning；andanotherbevy，includingmanyyoungandbeautifulgirls，werewhippedhalfnakedthroughthestreetsofRome。
Thisseveritydidnotputastoptothepractice，andjealouswomenandavariciousmen，anxioustostepintotheinheritanceoffathers，uncles，orbrothers，resortedtopoison。Asitwasquitefreefromtaste，colour，andsmell，itwasadministeredwithoutexcitingsuspicion。Theskilfulvendorscompoundeditofdifferentdegreesofstrength，sothatthepoisonershadonlytosaywhethertheywantedtheirvictimstodieinaweek，amonth，orsixmonths，andtheyweresuitedwithcorrespondingdoses。Thevendorswerechieflywomen，ofwhomthemostcelebratedwasahag，namedTophania，whowasinthiswayaccessorytothedeathofupwardsofsixhundredpersons。Thiswomanappearstohavebeenadealerinpoisonsfromhergirlhood，andresidedfirstatPalermoandthenatNaples。Thatentertainingtraveller，FatherLebat，hasgiven，inhisLettersfromItaly，manycuriousparticularsrelatingtoher。WhenhewasatCivitaVecchia，in1719，theViceroyofNaplesdiscoveredthatpoisonwasextensivelysoldinthelattercity，andthatitwentbythenameofaqueta，orlittle-water。Onmakingfurtherinquiry，heascertainedthatTophaniawhowasbythistimenearseventyyearsofage，andwhoseemstohavebegunherevilcoursesverysoonaftertheexecutionofLaSparasentlargequantitiesofittoallpartsofItalyinsmallvials，withtheinscription“MannaofSt。NicholasofBarri。“
ThetombofSt。NicholasofBarriwascelebratedthroughoutItaly。
Amiraculousoilwassaidtooozefromit，whichcurednearlyallthemaladiesthatfleshisheirto，providedtherecipientmadeuseofitwiththeduedegreeoffaith。LaTophaniaartfullygavethisnametoherpoisontoeludethevigilanceofthecustom-houseofficers，who，incommonwitheverybodyelse，hadapiousrespectforSt。NicholasdeBarriandhiswonderfuloil。
ThepoisonwassimilartothatmanufacturedbyLaSpara。Hahnemannthephysician，andfatherofthehomoepathicdoctrine，writinguponthissubject，saysitwascompoundedofarsenicalneutralsalts，occasioninginthevictimagraduallossofappetite，faintness，gnawingpainsinthestomach，lossofstrength，andwastingofthelungs。TheAbbeGagliardisaysthatafewdropsofitweregenerallypouredintotea，chocolate，orsoup，anditseffectswereslow，andalmostimperceptible。Garelli，physiciantotheEmperorofAustria，inalettertoHoffmann，saysitwascrystallizedarsenic，dissolvedinalargequantityofwaterbydecoction，withtheadditionforsomeunexplainedpurposeoftheherbcymbalaria。TheNeapolitanscalleditAquaToffnina；anditbecamenotoriousalloverEuropeunderthenameofAquaTophania。