Chain Reaction by ACS

[Bonus] The Poison Squad and Urinalysis: The Fascinating Lives of ACS Presidents Harvey Wiley and Helen M. Free

July 23, 2026·18 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

This bonus episode continues the celebration of the American Chemical Society’s 150th anniversary by spotlighting two remarkable ACS presidents whose work helped shape public health in very different ways. Hosts Margot and Shane trade stories about these pioneering chemists. Harvey Wiley, ACS president in the 1890s, investigated dangerous food additives like formaldehyde and borax and presided over the infamous “Poison Squad” experiments. He was part of the impetus behind the “Wiley Act...

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