In the historical martyrologies of the ninth century, St. Leocadia of Toledo is honoured among these martyrs on 9 December.  More recently compiled Acts relate that Leocadia was filled with a desire for martyrdom through the story of the martyrdom of St. Eulalia. By order of the governor, Decianus, who is described in the martyrology as the most furious persecutor of the Christians in Spain, she was seized and cruelly tortured in order to make her apostatize, but she remained steadfast and was sent back to prison, where she died from the effects of the torture. A church was built over her grave, besides which two others at Toledo are dedicated to her. She is the patroness of the diocese, and 9 December is still given as her feast in the Roman Martyrology. She is represented with a tower, to signify that she died in prison.

A process to treat fur used to make felt hats was immersed in a hot solution of  Mercury nitrate and would subsequently become course and rough, making it easy to shape and mold with other fabrics. The hatters using this process were in daily contact with this heated solution and after a time, felt the adverse affects of Mercury poisoning. Some of the effects they felt were tremors, irritability, memory loss, and acute mood swings. This gave rise to the phrase "mad as a hatter," and was immortalized by the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland.

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