Go Big Read 2019 - The Poison Squad

By the end of nineteenth century, food was dangerous. Lethal, even.

"Milk" might contain formaldehyde, most often used to embalm corpses. Decaying meat was preserved with salicylic acid and borax. This was not by accident; food manufacturers embraced industrial chemistry, and were knowingly selling harmful products. Unchecked by government regulation, basic safety, or even labeling requirements, they put profit before the health of their customers.

The Poison Squad is the dramatic true story of the fight for food safety in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, led by the inimitable Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley.

Read the book, join the conversation, and bring your thoughts to the table at our Library’s discussion. 

We’ll be joined by Becky Terry, Food Service Director, DeForest Area School District.

A limited number of copies are will be available beginning September 20 to check out and keep if you attend the discussion. Copies for general check-out will also be available beginning September 20. 

If you have a disability and require accommodation in order to fully participate, please contact library staff.