New-York tribune., 1912-02-25


dreamand and aroused anew by mystic messages, he
met the souls Of the first great protectors of the human
body and its health. HippocraeS welcomed him as
long-lost brother and Herophus the first disciple OF
dissection brushed his brow with cold but encouraging
touch CELSIUS reclining the shores OF a crystal lake.
cnthused in ghOsy gestures because the doctor appre
ciated what he had done in defining the esophaguS
Rufus of Ephesus, Gacn PelopS, and all the noble
band of bvgOne physicians rOuSlng themselves from
the lehargic contemplation of their achievements
strolled by his side in the Gardens OF knowledge
offered him for his couch and plated IN his raven
hair gorgeous garands Of aromatic plants and healing
herbs.
And one fine evening, when the lrceze came heavy
with stores of perfume and Src2 sang at his widest
and his best, old Erasstratus made this suggestion:
"The digestion, Harvey, my boy! Save the dlgc5-
tion That is the great work for you to do!'
Whereupon Harvey, needing the advice and appre-
ciating that he had done all there to do in agrc
tural chemistry made up his mind to learn something
and say something about the acton OF chemicals AMI
food adulterantS on the human digestive organs. AT
that, his course was easy. He began to fulmnatc n
poetry and prose against the sale Of impure foods AMI
the trade in injurious medicines and quack remedlc
He formed his famous poison squad and, by feeding
them adulterants acids, and poiSonS, acquired n
exact knowledge Of what havoc is wrought in the body
Of man or a woman by food that has been colored n
preserved with harmful ingredients.
"What want he said once, "iS to convince The
Dcope of this country that they fools to let the food
upplers hurt their health rob their pocetbook by
selling them impure worthless fOOdStutfS
His campaign of education succeeded and in The
Roosevelt administration when Congress hardened .
the call of the voters and decided to pass law against
the msbranding of drugs and the harmful adutera,lOl
Of foods the House Committee on Agriculture asked
Wiley to write the act. He did, and to this day the
members Of the House and Senate say that 70 Wiley )
due the lions share of the credit of Pure Food legislation
But he has been tremendously active in many Other
WAYS Il is his habit to tell mothers how TO feed their
children to warn children against the purchase OF bal
cecrcam to explain why some goods are wholesome
and why some Others not. His work on agricultural
chemistry is a standard the world over. French and
German scientific editors constantly beSlegc HIM VITA
requests for special articles. His lectures and writings
on good germs" and "bad germs have given him sul
cmncnce that whenever he goes to Europe he cannot
escape a continuous round Of entertainments and oNa
tOnS. The highbrOWed and lOnghaTed gentry oi the
Continent fall over themselves and ride about on horse
back to round him up and make him sit at table with
them.
In Washington, Dr. Wiley is always in demand as IN
after dinner speaker. He is apt with airy badnage
and pcrSifagc as he is with the liquid cadcnceS OF rn
and he always brings a laugh More than SIX feet tai
and built with all the massive strength OF CornhMl
column, he above group Of dnerS-out and u-
nishcS enough wit to make them fat
THE Bureau Of Chemistry, Of which Wiley is raa e
head, has today five hundred employees .-
pared with the three men who made up its membership
when ne took charge of it twenty years ago and re
great growth of the staff may be taken the concrete
expression OF the manner in which the public has r.
Sponied TO WilcvS prcaChngS that the people of '.
country have a right to be sold foods that will not po
them and drugs that will heal them. He and his w.l
are the legal guardians Of national digestion, and the
protectors Of the countryS pantry.
The doctor has always been a student OF Chemlstry
and the effects Of chemistry plants and human being
native Of Indiana, he began life an instructor IN h3
State became State Chemist, went to Washington AMI
took the profcsSorshp Of chemistry in George Washing
ton University and later went into the service OF The
Government. Since then he has enjoyed merely
growing procession Of foreign decorations, honorary de-
grccs and marks OF distinction from civic bodies. Evry
dav his mail is burdcncd with letters from cities AMI
countries that want enlist his services in reform tr
better milk better sanitation and better anything that
preserves health His chief reward has come in the rec
ognition given him by the masses of the people.