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Pure Food and Drugs

In 1902 Dr. Harvey W. Wiley (third from the left), chief chemist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the "human catalyst" who helped coordinate the national campaign for pure food and drugs, started research with human volunteers, officially designated the "Hygienic Table," to determine the effects of food preservatives on digestion and health. Overnight the press made the "Poison Squad" a national sensation. Wiley's research showed that such additives as borax, salicylic acid, and formaldehyde were harmful. He became convinced that chemical preservatives should be used in food only when necessary, that the burden of proving safety should fall on the producer, and that none should be used without informing the consumer on the label-basic principles of today's law and regulations.

c. 1905

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