WISE FORESIGHT

Prior to the enactment of the food and drugs law it was evident from the increase in popular interest in this matter that the enlistment of organized bodies of men and women interested in securing this legislation would sooner or later become effective. It was considered the part of wisdom to prepare for this much wished-for consummation. Numerous attempts had been made before the Congress of the United States to change the wording of the proposed bill in such a way as to eliminate the Bureau of Chemistry as the active executive organization of the law when passed. All of these attempts had been almost unanimously negatived by the Congress as often as they were offered. It seemed, therefore, quite certain that when the law finally was secured the Bureau of Chemistry would be retained as its executive agent. As early as 1902 authority was obtained from Congress to carry on feeding experiments on healthy young men. The language of the law follows:

"To enable the Secretary of Agriculture to investigate the character of food preservatives, coloring matters, and other substances added to foods, to determine their relation to digestion and to health, and to establish the principles which should guide their use."

The object was to see if the preservatives and coloring matters added to foods would have any effect upon the digestion and health of these young men. Young men as a rule are more resistant to effects of this kind than children or older persons. They represent the maximum of resistance to deleterious foods. The deduction from this theory is that if the young men thus selected showed signs of injury other citizens of the country less resistant would be more seriously injured. Having received authority from Congress to proceed in this matter, a small kitchen and dining room were provided in the basement of the Bureau and a call issued for volunteers to join this experimental class. We asked chiefly employees of the Bureau. We had no difficulty in securing twelve healthy young men who volunteered their services and took an oath to obey all rules and regulations which should be prescribed for the experimental dining table. Their term of enlistment was made for one year. Up to this time no such extensive experiment on human beings had been planned anywhere in the world. It was not necessary to ask any publicity to this matter. It was a problem which interested not only newspaper reporters and editors, but the public at large. One reporter who was most constant in his attendance, and this was the beginning of his reportorial work, had the happy faculty of presenting the progress of the experiment in terms which appealed to the public imagination. He early designated this band of devoted young men as "The Poison Squad." There was rarely a day in which he did not visit the experimental table and write some interesting item in regard thereto. This cub reporter is now the celebrated author of the "Post-Scripts" in the Washington Post, George Rothwell Brown.

The Dining Room of "The Poison Squad"