The Poison Supper Club That Made Our Food Safe

Before the FDA came around, there was some pretty gnarly stuff in our food: additives like formaldehyde, borax, and copper sulfate​—poisons! To prove these toxins weren't good for us, Dr. Harvey W. Wiley, a chemist, organized a volunteer supper club​ to document the effects of these poisons on the body. His findings launched the food regulations that keep our meals safe today.

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[SurelyShirley]

I got in trouble in school during a lab for touching copper sulfate and you tell me people ate it

[atumba]

“ And a little bit of borax ”

Is equivalent to:

“ *two shots of vodka* ”

[williammagnaye]

I am the Clorox, and I speak for the Bleach.

[RobTheMagicalBanana]

Surprising to know that Copper Sulfate was once used in food! I work with the stuff, and if you get it on your skin, it can cause a serious rash

[MohammedBH]

1:35 -and a little borax-
she nearly put the whole bottle on it

[BrainDiarrhea]

I imagine if that didnt happen. Slime channel:Hey guys so today we'll be making slime out of bacon

[jacobhannan]

1:45 "Dirrhea" *some legit spelling*

[flamingpi]

Let’s all take a moment of silence to honour these brave men who sacrificed their health for the health of all and the safety and quality we enjoy today

[im_wei_too_sarcastic]

1:08 The first twelve members of the poison squad-
*Shows a picture with eleven people*

[frn_c]

Don’t forget about Upton Sinclair and his role for food regulation!

[ACSReactions]

Excellent video! We really love your work.

[Deamons]

After years of playing Megaman, never did I think I’d hear the words “thank you doctor Wiley”

[azsartaj]

I would give more thanks to the volunteers than the doctor himself...

[CKis]

A big thanks to the members of the poison club. Imagine sacrificing themselves as a human trials.

[zenith]

May the poison squad be remembered, for they were heroes.

[samsqwanchey]

Wish we could trust the FDA now! You should do a story on the present day FDA

[kingofbosnia]

May god bless his soul, such an amazing figure in our history.

[SometimesHappy]

And now he could've get sued for poisoning these people even though we're eating safe food because of him. Nowadays people bitching about tests on animals or other people (people, who are volunteers) which provide good products for all of us, but some human beings just can't understand this.

[kamjir]

“a little borax”

*put the whole 10 boxes on it*

[tannerk]

Poison doesn't change. It just adapts a new name.