Caroline Grills became known as 'Aunty
Thally' after being convicted of the thallium poisoning murders.
(Picture: NWN Library Source:
The Daily Telegraph).
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-3.jpg)
Grills would slip thallium into cups of tea or home-baked goodies
and serve them to her family.
(Picture: NWN Library
Source: The Daily Telegraph)
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-4.jpg)
Mrs Caroline Grills arrives at the Coroner's Court, George St in
1953.
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-5.jpg)
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-victim.jpg)
Blinded Mrs Lundberg (middle) for whose attempted murder Mrs
Grills was convicted.
Pictured with her daughter Christina and
son-in-law John.
(Picture: NWN Library. Source: The Daily Telegraph)
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-press-1.jpg)
A newspaper clipping about Caroline Grills with the headline
'Kindly housewife won
infamy as mass poisoner'.
(Picture: NWN
Library.)
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-press-2.jpg)
![](../images/grills_caroline/caroline-grills-thallium.jpg)
Thallium and its compounds are often highly toxic. Among the
distinctive effects of thallium
poisoning are
loss of hair (which
led to its initial use as a depilatory before its toxicity
was
properly appreciated) and
damage to peripheral nerves (victims may
experience a
sensation of walking on hot coals). Thallium
was once
an effective murder weapon
before its effects became understood, and
an antidote
(Prussian blue) discovered.