Tuskegee

While listening to Alex Chadwick's report about the Tuskegee experiment I was once again saddened by the Tuskegee experiment that began in the 1930's. Although we often hear about bad things happening, the course and disclosure of this experiment continues to be dramatic. I had previously learned about this study in a sociology class, and my professor did not spend much time going over the details. Although the NPR clip is short and the text is quite brief, I think that the collection of people who speak during the segment is quite interesting. I enjoyed listening to Jean Heller speak about her struggles to publish this story and unmask forty years of history. I, also, secretly appreciated that the main reporter was a female; after learning about the exploitation of females and minority groups I was glad that Heller, a female, was the one who publicly uncovered the story. Additionally, I automatically thought about a book titled Mama Might Be Better Off Dead. This book discusses the quality, access, and cost of health care for those living in the poor communities in Chicago. The book primarily focuses on an African American family and traces their experiences with the local hospitals. One of the men in the story comment about his fear of white male doctors and notes that abuse and experimentation that some of his friends faced while in prison. Why is it that our government allows or turns a blind eye to this type of treatment? It is so unfortunates that despite Tuskegee, minorities still continue to be violated or feel uncomfortable in the presence of a doctor. The male character in the story mentions the history of Tuskegee and how the African community is haunted by the power of the government; he, along with many others, still cannot trust the government.
Exploitation of minority groups is just plain awful. Our readings from this week demonstrate how this has happened quite frequently throughout our history. If it is not one group, then it is another. Although health officials think that they are "helping" in some way, they really are not. For example, Smith notes in his piece Natural Laboratories that Native Americans were being immunized with trial and medical drugs that they did not even know about. In the end, science and much research has proven that these immunizations may be harmful, rather than helpful, to the people.
I hope that we can learn more about the Tuskegee experiment and what has happened since President Clinton's public apology. Although the victims and their families received a settlement and health care, I would like to know how they are doing today? Many of the men have probably passed away, but their wives, children, and family members must still live with this haunting memory. Like Charlie Pallard says in the clip, people would no longer shake his hand after the Washington Evening Star published the story. Are men and women in Tuskegee still stigmatized by syphilis or diseases? How have these families reconciled with a major disappointment in the government. Additionally, I would like to more about folk medicine, as it was mentioned in the audio clip and text. Public Health Services got people to join the study by saying that they would fix their "bad blood," and I am pretty sure that some of these traditions still exist today. Maybe we will learn more when reading Anne Fadiman's book The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down.