Poison squad Dr Harvey Wiley
Poison squad Dr Harvey Wiley
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States has sharply ripened a question of food safety. Because the producers had a lot to store products until the moment you buy them, as it was necessary — so everyone tried as best they could. In the course of preserving meat, for example, was borax, formaldehyde, even strychnine. And to give the same white flour and sugar did not hesitate and chalk a little more supanut. Accordingly, no one thought to write on the label that is included with the product.
Dr. Harvey Wiley in the career plan, you can say lucky. Received additional education as a chemist and furthering the knowledge section of the science of food, in 1882, he took the post of chief chemist in the Ministry of agriculture of the United States. Studied the chemical composition of sugar and was looking for an answer to the question — is it possible to cook it from sorghum? And then in 1905 the U.S. Congress drove with the immodest proposal in the amount of 5000 dollars to find out, is there anything you can eat to much poison. Well, that is, instructed him to find out how safe for life and health all sorts of preservatives, which at that time was in Vogue.
Realizing that experiments on yourself is a direct path to the motto "nobility, dementia and courage" on the tombstone, the doctor decided to delegate this important and dangerous mission volunteers. So in the US there was "poison squad" the Doctor gave in a newspaper ad — they say, need "twelve young clerks, vigorous and with a good appetite". By the way, he did not hide that the job will be dangerous. In the condition of employment expressly stated: a year to eat only that give. Even if the food is poison. But even with this warning, as well as the preliminary examination, which usually took place at receipt on civil service, in order to confirm that you possess high moral qualities, from the volunteers did not rebound. One even wrote:
"Dear sir! I read in the newspaper about your experiments with food. I have an iron stomach that can handle it. My stomach will surprise you. I suffer from seven diseases. Not been to a doctor for 15 years. Then, 15 years ago, they said I will not live eight months. What do you think? My stomach will handle anything"
In General, the detachment scored, measured vital signs, took the tests and began to eat. The duration of the experiment, by the way, stretched to five years. In the menu (as additives, of course) consisted of borax, sulphuric acid, copper sulphate, strychnine, formaldehyde, ammonium nitrate and many other interesting things. All this time monitored the health of the members of the group. By 1907 in the Affairs many of them appeared record "is Slowly coming to death." What cost Dr. Wiley to convince them to continue to take all that is given is a separate song and money.
When the experiment came to an end and the data published — it was the bomb. As lynched by some manufacturers and not burnt their factories, God knows.
And finally in 1906 in the United States was adopted the Law on pure food and drugs. It obliges the manufacturers to indicate what is included in their products. However, then Roosevelt sly otter Wiley aside and attributed the credit, but what about the "poison squad" remembered for a long time.
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