Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-12
OF RECRUITS
Enough Volunteers for the
Poison Squad" Found.
SOME HOBOES APPLY
ANXIOUS FOR "GRATUITOUS
GRUB THREE TIMES A DAY.
Some Popular Misconception of the
Aims and Views of DR..
Wiley.
SOME HOBOES APPLY

Persons who are willing to subsist on a
diet of poison are not hard to find. This
fact is disclosed by the large number Of
applications made to the bureau OF chem
stry for membership in the poison squad"
upon which tests We're mad with food pre-
servatves and which is to be organized
again this year in the course of expert
ments to ascertain the effect of cold stor-
age food on the human system.
Dr. Harvey w. Wiley, chief of the bureau
of chemistry, has received from all parts Of
the country requests for information In re-
gard to the qualifications necessary to be-
come a member of the squad Health
cranks who are anxious to make any sac
rifce for science form a part of the appli-
cants. There is also a small army of fat
people who have read that the diet is a
sure cure for obesity. They want to join
the squad to get thin.
But more noteworthy than any other APP
plications are those received from that por-
ton of society known as the hobo fra
ternity. Word has been passed down the
line of the shiftless sons of rest thai Uncle
Sam is maintaining a free lunch counter
which has no parallel for variety and gem
eral excellence. The fact that the food may
contain a little poison HASN'T deferred them
from offering themselves as subjects for the
experiments What they are after is the
gratuitous grub, and that grub three times
a day.
But he hopes of the health cranks and
the fat people and the tra,1ps are not to
be realized for the desired number of sub
jects has been obtained from among the
working force of the bureau. In fact there
have been more applications than there are
places to fill.>The chances. therefore, OF any
body not in the government service taking
part in the tests are very remote. unless a
change of sentiment should occur.
AS long as clerks in the department can
be found who are willing to dine at the
government table outsiders will he al
lowed to join the squad. Uncle Sam viii
first invite the people who work for him
to be his guests. and only when they re-
ject his invitation will the general public
have an opportunity 10 partaie of the free
meals. The reason is that it is less difficult
to regulate the mode of living of the gov
eminent employees than it would be to har-
monte the habits of persons who nave no
interest in the experiments other than the
SustenAnce It affords them.
Humorous But Anxious Inquiries.
DR.. Wiley has received so many humor-
Gus letters in connection with the work Of
the bureau that he has established what he
calls crank file" In addition to the APP
plications for membership in the poison
squad" this file contains letters relating
to almost every conceivable subject which
the bureau is supposed to answer. a
communication thoroughly illustrative of
the freak queries put to the bureau is the
following, which came from a woman liV-
ing in Palmetto, Ga:
SIsn't the idea that certain foods nour-
ish certain parts of the body fallacy? For
instance, that fish, because it's phosphor-
GUS is special brain food?
wouldn't eggs, which are perfect 1000
furnish as much brain food?
Food can't give any one more brains
a hnc nrlflN -lI m
Eggs give strength, no fat, do they?
Yet how can they be perfect food unless
they furnish fat? | have in mind the say
ing that AN egg-sucking dog IS always
Il find that to cook oatmeal rice, peas
and beans, also sweet and Irish potatoes
in tin or iron utensils IS yet TO dlscoior
as there an antidote for red PEPPER
How do honey, molasses, brown sugar
and white sugar rank in sweetness
(which possesses more sweetness for pop
corn balls, sugar or maple syrup?
These are a few questions taken at ran
dom from one letter. There were also vari-
Gus other queries along the same line and
which had much relation to one another
as the above.
DR. Wiley was asked in a letter by a
woman living in Hartford, Conn, What is
good for finger nails constantly breaking
and bending?' The writer SAID further that
she was inclined to think the cause pro-
ceeds from stomach trouble. Doctors tell
me it is dyspepsia, but seem unable to do
much. 1 think there is some food need
Perhaps you can tell me the foods most
easily digested. l am forty-seven, wife
and mother medium height, but weigh only
ninety-seven pounds. so not plump at all
which | would like to be"
From a woman who wished to reduce her
weight the following was received:
Please, please tell me if there are any ply
sicians using your treatment for reducing
people. l ask you if you will send me pre-
scription regarding borac acid tablets and
diet, l will cheerfully send you what you
may wish as fee. ! know If you had fifty
pounds of extra fat and life was almost a
burden you would then take pity on a poor
woman and help her out.