The Poison Squad: One Chemist's Single-Minded Crusade for Food Safety at the Turn of the Twentieth Century

In the 21st Century, a focus on organic, whole, and unprocessed foods signifies a return to the fresh and more ethical trends of the late 19th century. As in Wiley’s era, these products can be more costly and less accessible to certain members of the population. What do you think Dr. Wiley would believe about the commodification of his childhood values? How would he feel about the expense of some of these products, and the commercialization of the production of safer foods?

The late 20th and early 21st centuries were periods of change in food production, such that artificial and chemical foodstuffs are pervasive in the American consumer market. Consider how Dr. Wiley might view certain food products currently available to consumers. What might he think of the marketing techniques and disclosure practices mandated by the FDA? Which types of foods and processing methods might he object to? How might he respond to the profitable industry of foods marketed as “diet,” including alternatives, supplements, and performance powders, that so many Americans regularly ingest?

Dr. Wiley loved Anna Kelton from the moment he saw her. After he proposed to her and she declined his offer, he never asked someone else to marry him, not until he and Anna reconnected many years later.