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The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

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The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth CenturyA New York Times Notable Book The inspiration for PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE film The Poison Squad. From Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Deborah Blum, the dramatic true story of how food was made safe in the United States and the heroes, led by the inimitable Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, who fought for change By the end of nineteenth century, food was dangerous. Lethal, even. "Milk" might contain formaldehyde, most often

A New York Times Notable Book

The inspiration for PBS's AMERICAN EXPERIENCE film The Poison Squad.

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

By the end of nineteenth century, food was dangerous. Lethal, even. "Milk" might contain formaldehyde, most often used to embalm corpses. Decaying meat was preserved with both salicylic acid, a pharmaceutical chemical, and borax, a compound first identified as a cleaning product. This was not by accident; food manufacturers had rushed to embrace the rise of industrial chemistry, and were knowingly selling harmful products. Unchecked by government regulation, basic safety, or even labelling 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" every year. Citizens--activists, journalists, scientists, and women's groups--began agitating for change. But even as protective measures were enacted in Europe, American corporations blocked even modest regulations. Then, in 1883, Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, a chemistry professor from Purdue University, was named chief chemist of the agriculture department, and the agency began methodically investigating food and drink fraud, even conducting shocking human tests on groups of young men who came to be known as, "The Poison Squad."

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

Blum brings to life this timeless and hugely satisfying "David and Goliath" tale with righteous verve and style, driving home the moral imperative of confronting corporate greed and government corruption with a bracing clarity, which speaks resoundingly to the enormous social and political challenges we face today.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Group
Published: 09/24/2019
ISBN: 9780143111122
Pages: 352
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.30h x 5.50w x 0.80d
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SKU: 93835850820

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Morgen Senior
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 1
No access code
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
Cannot use access code. Silver part is extremely hard to scratch off I can see that part of the code is missing.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2024
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DoogieDog
Belleville, US
★★★★★ 5
The Only Resource You'll Need to Pass the RHIA
Format: Hardcover
What did I like? This textbook is fully comprehensive of all that you'll need in order to take and pass the RHIA examination. I lost my credentials when I didn't renew my professional dues and needed to take it again after 26 years. Granted I have experience in the field, but this book covered it all. What did I use this for? I used this text to prepare for my RHIA exam administered by AHIMA.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 28, 2023
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Em
Whiting, US
★★★★★ 5
Excellent
Excellent reflections on the most important subject. This book provides and intermediate Christology. It brings the Biblical text and conciliar theology to help illuminate current discussions and debates on the person and work of Christ. Highly recommended.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
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D. Morgan
Louisville, US
★★★★★ 5
Exactly what my sink needed!!
Color: Black, Color: Black
Okay, this thing turned out to be way more useful than I expected. It’s big enough to actually hold everything — sponge, scrub brush, even the soap dispenser — without looking cluttered or crammed together. Plus everything dries faster, so my sink area finally doesn’t look like a wet chaotic mess all the time. 😅 The quality is really solid too. Feels sturdy, doesn’t rust, and was super easy to install. It stays put and keeps water from collecting around the sink, which honestly makes cleanup so much easier. Such a simple little product, but it really does make the kitchen look cleaner and more organized. Definitely recommend.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2026
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Amazon Customer
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Worth the price !
Color: Black
This is a great way to put everything together. Everything on the counter looks organized and it’s a great wayto get all your sponges and dish soap and everything to look nice. I was pleased that it is well-made and sturdy. It’s very handy and I’m very happy with it. I’ve been using it for about a week. I have bought different products in the past which were OK but this one holds everything not just some. Do you highly recommend it it is worth the price !!
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Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2026

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