The Poison Squad | Full Film | American Experience | PBS

The Poison Squad tells the story of government chemist Dr. Harvey Wiley who, determined to banish these dangerous substances from dinner tables, took on the powerful food manufacturers and their allies.

Official Website: https://to.pbs.org/3wMtRko | #PoisonSquadPBS

By the close of the Industrial Revolution, the American food supply was tainted with frauds, fakes, and legions of new and untested chemicals, dangerously threatening the health of consumers. Based on the book by Deborah Blum, The Poison Squad tells the story of government chemist Dr. Harvey Wiley who, determined to banish these dangerous substances from dinner tables, took on the powerful food manufacturers and their allies. Wiley embarked upon a series of bold and controversial trials on 12 human subjects who would become known as the “Poison Squad.” Following Wiley’s unusual experiments and tireless advocacy, the film charts the path of the forgotten man who laid the groundwork for U.S. consumer protection laws, and ultimately the creation of the FDA.

This program is made possible by viewers like you. Please support your local PBS stations: https://pbs.org/donate

Subscribe to the American Experience | PBS channel for more clips: https://www.youtube.com/AmericanExperiencePBS

Enjoy full episodes of American Experience anytime, anywhere with the free PBS Video App: https://to.pbs.org/2QbtzhR

FOLLOW US:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanExperiencePBS/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AmExperiencePBS/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/AmericanExperiencePBS/
Shop: https://shop.pbs.org/