The Poison Squad

In 1902, an interesting group of twelve young men came together for an even more interesting cause: to ingest poison. From Esquire:

The human lab rats were “twelve young clerks, vigorous and voracious.” All were graduates of the civil service exam, all were screened for “high moral character,” and all had reputations for “sobriety and reliability.” All twelve took oaths, pledging one year of service, promising to only eat food that was prepared in the Poison Squad’s kitchen, and waiving their right to sue the government for damages — including death — that might result from their participation in the program.

The group was the brainchild of the U.S. Agriculture Department’s Chief Chemist, Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley.  From 1902 to 1907 his group tested common food additives for safety.  Wiley is still considered the father of the National Food and Drug Administration.

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