The Poison Eaters: Fighting Danger and Fraud in our Food and Drugs

This nonfiction book looks at Harvey Washington Wiley's work on food, medicines, and consumer safety. Before regular food testing and rigorous scrutiny of product claims, people sometimes consumed harmful ingredients without knowing it. Wiley studied volunteers called the poison eaters, who ingested questionable substances, and his broader efforts helped lead to the FDA's formation. The book also considers corporate lobbying and profit-making that could put ordinary people's health and safety at risk.