The Poison Eaters
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
Washington Post Best Children's Book
Formaldehyde, borax, salicylic acid. Today, these chemicals are used in embalming fluids, cleaning supplies, and acne medications. But in 1900, they were routinely added to food that Americans ate from cans and jars.
In 1900, products often weren't safe because unregulated, unethical companies added these and other chemicals to trick consumers into buying spoiled food or harmful medicines. Chemist Harvey Washington Wiley recognized these dangers and began a relentless thirty-year campaign to ensure that consumers could purchase safe food and drugs, eventually leading to the creation of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA, a US governmental organization that now has a key role in addressing the COVID-19/Coronavirus pandemic gripping the world today. Acclaimed nonfiction and Sibert Honor winning author Gail Jarrow uncovers this intriguing history in her trademark style that makes the past enthrallingly relevant for today's young readers.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A provocative chapter title "Embalmed Bees and Other Delicacies" opens this riveting chronicle from Jarrow (Spooked!) of the life of Harvey Wiley, the "Father of the Pure Food Law," and the often gruesome events leading to the creation of America's Food and Drug Administration. In gripping, relatable language, Jarrow follows Wiley's rise from Indiana farm boy to head of the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Chemistry and, finally, director of Good Housekeeping magazine's Bureau of Food, Sanitation, and Health. Sample advertisements, archival photographs, and political cartoons enhance the text, and a timeline, glossary, and sidebars such as "How a Bill Becomes Law: The Basics" further equip readers to navigate the science and politics involved in Wiley's lifelong fight to protect the public from adulterated food, quack medicines, and fraudulent claims. Historical headlines, such as "Human Test-Tubes. Wiley, Government Chemist, Continues His Work," bring to life the enormity of Wiley's controversial methods in the eyes of the public. The "More to Explore" section makes this easy-to-read work a fine classroom resource and an excellent addition to any collection. Ages 10 17.
