The Poison Squad

A New York Times Notable Book

The inspiration for the PBS film The Poison Squad.

From Pulitzer Prize-winning and New York Times bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story of how food was made safe in America and the heroes, led by the inimitable Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, who fought for change

In the late 19th century, food was dangerous. Deadly, even. “Milk” could contain formaldehyde, most often used to embalm corpses. Rotting meat was preserved with both salicylic acid, a pharmaceutical chemical, and borax, a compound first identified as a cleaning agent. This was no accident; food manufacturers had rushed to embrace the rise of industrial chemistry and knowingly sold harmful products. Unchecked by government regulation, basic safety, or even labeling requirements, they put profit before the health of their customers. By some estimates, in New York City alone, thousands of children were killed by “embalmed milk” each year. Citizens—activists, journalists, scientists, and women’s groups—began to agitate for change. But even when safeguards were adopted in Europe, American companies blocked even modest regulations. Then, in 1883, Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, a Purdue University chemistry professor, was appointed chief chemist of the Agricultural Department, and the agency began methodically investigating food and beverage fraud, even conducting shocking human tests on groups of young men who became known as the "Poison Squad."

Over the next 30 years, a titanic struggle ensued, with the courageous and fascinating Dr. Wiley campaigning tirelessly for food safety and consumer protection. With a gallant cast, including reporter Upton Sinclair, whose fiction revealed the horrific truth about Chicago's tank farms; Fannie Farmer, then the nation's most famous cookbook author; and Henry J. Heinz, one of the few food producers who actively advocated for pure food; Dr. Wiley changed history. When the landmark Food and Drug Act of 1906 was finally passed, it was known across the country as "Dr. Wiley's Law."

Blum brings this timeless and immensely satisfying “David and Goliath” tale to life with just the right verve and style, driving home the moral imperative to confront corporate greed and government corruption with a powerful clarity that speaks resoundingly to the enormous social and political challenges we face today.