An
exhibit (above) comparing a normal skull (left) with two skulls from
victims
of late stage syphilis. The discovery by a medical historian that
in
the 1940s, the U.S. government injected
Guatemalans with sexually
transmitted
diseases has created a very unwelcome topic for the
Obama
Administration to deal with.
El
Periodico, Guatemala
U.S. Must Come Clean About 'Horrifying
Experiment'
"Without a doubt,
this horrifying experiment was a crime against humanity that deserves to be thoroughly
investigated so as to unravel and reveal the historic truths … Within the
framework of the U.N., the government of the United States should come clean and
pledge never to carry out or encourage such horrendous practices again."
Medical historian Susan M. Reverby stumbled upon the Guatemala research while exploring the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study in the United States. The revelation has forced President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton to express shock and revulsion over the unconscionable involuntary use of Guatemalans as medical subjects.
From 1946 to 1948, in Guatemala, doctors of the U.S. public
health service, with the obvious acquiescence of Guatemala's military and
civilian authorities, intentionally infected with syphilis and gonorrhea at
least 1,500 people, in order to study the effects of these venereal diseases
and how penicillin could overcome them, according to a study by Susan Reverby,
a professor at WellesleyCollege.
The aim of the experiment was to investigate new ways to
prevent sexually transmitted diseases (gonorrhea, syphilis, chancroid or white
canker). For this purpose, prostitutes were used as carriers of gonorrhea or
syphilis to spread the diseases to mentally ill prisoners. When those
responsible found that few of the men had been infected, the victims, who never
gave their consent nor were they informed before or after, were inoculated with
syphilis bacteria through the penis, arm or face.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
According to Professor Reverby, the majority were injected
with penicillin after contracting the disease, although it isn't clear whether
any of the infected men were cured or adequately treated. Apparently one died.
Guatemala
President Alvaro Colom expresses anger at news that
the
U.S. injected citizens of
his country with sexually transmitted
Dr. John Cutler was one of U.S.
physicians on the team that conducted the experiment in Guatemala.
This was an official with the United States Public Health Service who also
participated in the Tuskegee
project conducted in the 1960s. In that study, hundreds of Black citizens
of Alabama, who had already been infected
with syphilis, were denied medical treatment to observe the development of the
disease.
Given these revelations, the U.S.
government has apologized to Guatemala.
The latter announced the launching of an investigation, which, in our opinion,
should be conducted and sponsored by both governments.
Without a doubt, this horrifying experiment was a crime
against humanity that deserves to be thoroughly investigated so as to unravel and
reveal the historic truths, as well as who was responsible and who the victims were
so that they, or alternatively, their families, are properly compensated.
Within the framework of the United Nations, the government of
the United States
should come clean and pledge never to carry out or encourage such horrendous
practices again.
