The Poison Squad Motto
“None but the brave can eat the fare”
In the early 1900s food additives were regulated by state and local governments, which were limited and kept out of the public view. These additives were kept hidden from the public and were used to preserve food. Once these secrets were unraveled, many of these food additives were found to be detrimental to mankind over extensive periods of time, leading to concern in the scientific community. In 1902, Doctor Harvey W. Wiley, with a $5,000 budget, organized a volunteer group of men to test the effects of different chemicals found in foods in an attempt to quantify the nuances of additives on the human body. Originally named the Hygienic Table Trials, the media gave the volunteers the nickname “The Poison Squad”. During each trial, members three meals a day, each laced with increasing amounts of additives as Doctor Wiley carefully recorded the effects that they had on his patients. One of the many controversial additives that they tested was Borax, a food preservative that gave meat the impression of freshness. Eating it with every meal, Doctor Wiley determined that Borax causes headaches, stomach aches, and other digestive issues. After successfully determining the effects of Borax and the subsequent media portrayal, they moved on to test other additives like sulfuric acid, saltpeter, formaldehyde, and copper sulfate. Additives like copper sulfate was used to turn peas into a brighter shade of green; the Poison Squad found that it caused diarrhea, liver damage, vomiting, and nausea.