1898 - Consumer Protection

Consumer Protection

U.S. troops sent to fight in the Spanish-American War fall ill from eating what critics call "embalmed" beef and many die (contaminated meat kills more men than battle wounds do). The deaths raise a public outcry for reform of the meat-packing industry (see 1905; Armour, 1901)and increase demands for pure food laws and meat inspection laws that would regulate packers (see St. Louis Exposition, 1904).