Food & Drug Safety
By: Jaslene Solis
Embedded Files
Major Leaders/Driving factors
Major Leaders/Driving factors
President Theodore Roosevelt
He advocated for safe food and drug safety by signing off on the Pure Food and Drug Act and the Meat Inspection Act of 1906.
Upton Sinclair
He is primarily known for bringing issues of "potentially dangerous food manufacturing practices" to public attention through muckraking. His book, "The Jungle" caused people to hunger for reform, even though it wasn't necessarily the response he wanted to incite. Sinclair wrote the book with the intention of shedding light behind the plight of workers from of big canning factories, but instead "he appalled the public with his description of disgustingly unsanitary food products." This lingering feeling of disgust was provoked by the details he includes on the "filth, disease, and putrefaction" in Chicago's "damp, ill-ventilated" slaughter houses.
Major Events
Major Events
"The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair was published serially on November 4, 1905 and as a single volume book in 1906.
The Pure Food & Drug Act was signed into law on June 30th of 1906.
The Meat Inspection Act of 1906 was signed into law jointly with the Pure Food & Drug Act.
Key Laws & Court Decisions
Key Laws & Court Decisions
Pure Food & Drug Act of 1906: Signed by President Roosevelt, it prohibited the sale of misbranded or food and drugs in interstate commerce.
RESULTS:
Built upon the foundation laid by this act was the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and it became the nation's first consumer protection agency.
This act marked a great shift in government interference in industries for the good of the general public, signaling that they were straying further and further from the saying "laissez faire" which was a prominent ideology in America during the Gilded Age that allowed for unrestricted and unchecked industry activity.
Meat Inspection Act of 1906: Also brought into fruition President Roosevelt, it prohibited adulterated or misbranded meat or meat products from being sold as food, and it ensured that meats were processed under sanitary procedures.
RESULTS:
It helped to set a minimum standard for the safety and quality of meat, and restored public confidence in the industry.
The largest packers didn't comply with every element of the act, but they saw it as an opportunity to drive out their smaller competition.
Companies that could comply with the standard were now able to receive the government seal of approval on their exported meat products.
Evaluation of Progressive Reform
Evaluation of Progressive Reform
They were able to set a minimum standard for food and drugs through two major acts, which helped the overall health of the public, as well as their presence and appeal in overseas markets, such as Europe, through having the U.S. government seal of approval on meat products.
Q: How important was presidential leadership?
Q: How important was presidential leadership?
R: The role of presidential leadership within the food and drug progressive movement was extremely important because the president, particularly Theodore Roosevelt, was the one tasked with actively advocating and signing acts that would improve the restrictions of the food and drug industry in order to hold them accountable for any dangerous or unsanitary practices and procedures.
Q: Why were some goals unmet?
R: Most of the major goals were met such as setting and maintaining a healthy standard for food and drugs, however, since some bigger packaging companies didn't comply completely with the Meat Inspection Act of 1906, there were areas that needed more reinforcing by the government.
Q: How important were the media and public support?
R: They were the backbone of the movement, the media more so in relation to the spreading of the initial message on the unhealthy practices of the food and drug industry. The public was extremely important because their utter disdain pushed both Congress and President Roosevelt to action on the matter.
Q: Why did they earn the rating you gave?
R: They earned a good rating because the two major laws that came to pass as a result of this movement were extremely significant in shifting the standards of processing and selling food and drugs, and inevitably led to other bodies of government/ organizations to further develop, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Page updated
Report abuse