Tuskegee experiment remix: Syphilis tests in Guatemala
Tuskegee experiment remix: Syphilis tests in Guatemala
Washington Post story about syphilis testing on Guatemalans during the 1940s recalls another dark chapter in medical history: the Tuskegee experiment, in which some black men were intentionally denied treatment so the disease’s impact could be studied.
If you missed the startling tale about Guatemala, which was uncovered by a Wellesley College professor, take a minute to read it. Basically, doctors used prostitutes and other means to infect soldiers, prisoners and mental patients with syphilis. The United States apologized today for the incident, which involved the U.S. Public Health Service and the National Institutes of Health.
Then recall that while the Guatemala experiment was conducted from 1946-1948, the Tuskegee Syphilis Study (shown here) lasted for decades and did not end until it was exposed by the media in 1972. What’s more, Tuskegee subjects were denied treatment, while the Guatemalans were treated after being infected. If these facts don’t shock you, you are unshockable.
Several books on the Tuskegee experiment are available if you want to read more. Among them: “Bad Blood” by James H. Jones, “Medical Apartheid” by Harriet A. Washington, and “Examining Tuskegee” by Susan M. Reverby.
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