Vault of Horror #19 (1951)

Charles and Howard Norton, of Norton's Pharmaceutical Company, are having an argument. It seems the company has received an order for one million hypodermic inserts for insulin, but can only make 500,000. Not wanting to lose the order, Charles muses that they could dilute each insert by half, and thereby still provide the one million inserts. Howard refuses, calling it criminal, and Charles calls him a spineless jellyfish! Charles dilutes them anyway and many patients die, with Howard going to jail. When he is released, Howard visits his brother, exacting his revenge in an unusual way.

Consulting a medium, Melvin asks if he is to be doomed to the same death his uncle had suffered....and there were two raps, indicating yes. As he paid and prepared to leave, the medium told Melvin that she couldn't force the spirit back into the world beyond. Melvin thought the whole affair was clap trap as he hurried down the darkened road...that is until he kept hearing the low and mournful ghostly raps, and felt a definite choking sensation in his throat....as if some invisible being was strangling him to death. Brigham wailed in terror, "Can I be dying?" and the only answer was: two raps!

The VK begins the column offering photos of ALL three Ghoulunatics for 25 cents, then follows up with last issue's story popularity poll results. Letters from Virgina Kessler, Jimmy Morgan and Charles K. Gloman III are printed as well.

Martin Blackson hates his stepdaughter Kathy because she reminds him of his wife's first husband. When Kathy meets neighbor Mrs. Thaumaturge, Martin intervenes and tells Kathy to leave that "witch" alone or she'll bake her in her oven! After Kathy's mother dies, Mrs. Thaumaturge gives Kathy a man-shaped candy doll. Although Kathy swears she'll never eat it, later while Martin cuts wood, Kathy bites the doll's left hand, then hears a scream as Martin has cut off his left hand. When he hears about the doll, Martin demands Kathy hand it over, but she proves it isn't evil by biting off its head!

Lillian was much too young when she married Waldo, and, soon, he began to age. One night at a party, she met Roger, fell in love and agreed to get a divorce from Waldo. Unfortunately, Waldo fell ill with polio and needed constant attention and Lillian told Roger she just couldn't go through with the divorce. They vowed to meet by the lake every five years to see if they can finally be together, but Roger is killed in a train wreck. Still, three years later, she visited the lake again, this time to be greeted by Roger's rotting corpse!