In 1902, twelve young men volunteered for a government experiment. They agreed to eat food laced with chemicals like formaldehyde, borax, and salicylic acid every day, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They were called The Poison Squad. Deborah Blum’s book is The Poison Squad. (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/312067/the-poison-squad-by-deborah-blum/) Criminal is a show about people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle. Hosted by Phoebe Judge. Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Join Criminal Plus on Patreon for ad-free listening, bonus episodes, listener chat rooms, behind-the-scenes content, and more membership perks. https://www.patreon.com/Criminal Follow the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. https://pod.link/809264944 Say hello on Twitter (https://twitter.com/criminalshow) Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/criminal_podcast) Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/thisiscriminal) and TikTok (https://www.tiktok.com/@criminal_podcast) Sign up for our occasional newsletter, which includes a note from Phoebe, behind-the-scenes photos, and things our team has been enjoying lately. https://thisiscriminal.com/newsletter We also make the podcasts This is Love (https://pod.link/1337100398) and Phoebe Reads a Mystery (https://pod.link/1503921457). Artwork by Julienne Alexander: http://www.yssrs.com/. Check out our online shop: https://shop.thisiscriminal.com/ Episode 364 originally published May 8, 2026. https://thisiscriminal.com/episode-364-the-poison-squad-5-8-2026 Music in this episode: “The Maison” by Blue Dot Sessions “Fissure Forming” by Blue Dot Sessions “Cigar Singles” by Blue Dot Sessions “Selena Leica” by Blue Dot Sessions “Brer Krille” by Blue Dot Sessions “Delmendra” by Blue Dot Sessions “Speed Reader (Original music for Criminal)” by Blue Dot Sessions “Louver” by Blue Dot Sessions “Rally” by Blue Dot Sessions “Trailrunner” by Blue Dot Sessions “A Common Pause” by Blue Dot Sessions “The Longshoreman” by Blue Dot Sessions “Folly and Typeset (Original music for Criminal)” by Blue Dot Sessions