It’s the birthday of one of the most celebrated intellectuals of the 18th century, Samuel Johnson, who authored A Dictionary of the English Language and about whom I posted last year. But there is a remarkable dearth of other interesting authors born on this day. It’s as if Johnson in all his brilliance has just scared everyone off.

If one noses around enough, one finds Justinus Kerner (1786-1862), German poet and medical doctor who wrote the first detailed description of botulism, and I dearly wish I could find a translation of this description because there’s nothing like a morning cup of coffee while reading what the plucky little bacterium Clostridium botulinum can do to the human body when left to its own devices. Alas, I cannot.

So here’s last year’s post. Have a brilliant Wednesday, maybe whip up your own dictionary if you’re feeling inspired, for goodness’ sake keep your food well-refrigerated, and stay scrupulously honest to the data.