Innocent Guatemalans were used by American government goons in a series of experiments. An apology was issued to the Guatemalan people. Those studies bring up an episode from our past. The Tuskegee tests used hundreds of African American men, infected with syphilis, the same sexually transmitted disease studied in Guatemala. The Tuskegee experiments ran for 40 years. The Guatemalan STD experiments went on for two years, and they were run by Dr. John C. Cutler, who also participated in the Tuskegee tests.
Guatemalan experiment was approved first
Sexually Transmitted diseases were treated in a different manner in the early 20th century than we treat them now. Now, an infected person can pick up a prescription within hours. In 1946, before penicillin had been approved for use, the United States Public Health Service, the National Institute of Health, the Pan American Health Sanitary Institute and the Guatemalan government authorized an exploration on the effects of syphilis, according the MSNBC. The study was led by Dr. John Cutler. Male prisoners and female prisoners were amongst the 696 test subjects. Some were encouraged to catch the disease the typical way, and others were injected with the disease. Up to a 3rd of the subjects weren’t even treated for the disease. The study concluded in 1948.
What tests were completed with the Tuskegee syphilis
Hardly anyone knows about the Tuskegee Experiments. That is because American is ashamed of that part of history. Between 1932 and 1972, African Americans were viewed with the disease. They were then observed to see what would happen. 399 of the subjects were from Alabama. They were also all male. The study was carried out by the United States Public Health Service. A difference could be seen. We just have to look at it. The Tuskegee patients already had syphilis. The patients from Guatemalan with STDs were given the disease instead. Treatments weren’t given to two thirds of the Guatemalan patients. This is another difference. No Tuskegee patient ever received penicillin. Penicillin was the treatment used after 1947 hit. The experiment ran until 1972.
Needing to say sorry
It is extremely hard to say that the human experimentation can just be excused. Cable News Network reports the Guatemalan individuals got a special apology that originated from Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Health and Human Services Director Kathleen Sibelius. That’s just the start of what should happen.
Articles cited
MSNBC
msnbc.msn.com/id/39456324/ns/health-sexual_health
CNN
cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/01/us.guatemala.apology/index.html?hpt=T1
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuskegee_syphilis_experiment
