The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century
by Deborah Blum
A gripping account of chemist Harvey Wiley's crusade against dangerous food additives, leading to landmark consumer protection laws in early twentieth-century America.
About This Book
The Poison Squad chronicles the efforts of chemist Harvey Washington Wiley to expose harmful practices in the American food industry at the turn of the twentieth century.
Wiley led a dedicated team that tested the effects of chemical preservatives on human volunteers, bringing public attention to widespread food adulteration.
His work helped lay the groundwork for the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, marking a turning point in consumer protection and government regulation.
The book explores the challenges Wiley faced from powerful industry interests and the scientific debates of his era.
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