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Walter Reed was a U.S. Army physician who was instrumental in helping the United States oversee the completion of the Panama Canal. Thirty years earlier the French had tried but failed, partially because so many canal workers died from yellow fever. Today, thanks to Dr. Reed, we know that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes (and the EYE of the World crew can safely transit into the Pacific).
At the turn of the 19th century, however, people thought that yellow fever was transmitted by dirty clothing and bedding. Attempts to contain yellow fever focused on separating those sick with yellow fever from the healthy. Such attempts to control yellow fever failed.
It was still firmly believed that contact with people who had the disease spread yellow fever. To disprove it, Dr. Reed undertook some drastic human experiments. He had some of his assistants sleep in beds with dirty blankets from patients who had died from yellow fever. However, Dr. Reed did make sure that no mosquitoes got into the room.
His assistants remained healthy and did not die from yellow fever! As a result, he was able to convince the U.S. Army to undergo a campaign of mosquito control in Panama – thus limiting exposure to yellow fever and saving thousands of lives.
Today human experimentation continues, albeit in a more controlled and regulated manner.
Questions:
1) Would you ever agree to be a subject in a human experiment?
2) What if the experiment was to help find a cure for cancer?
3) What if you had cancer? What if you didn't?
4) What if the experiment was for a new skin cream that could eliminate acne?
5) Should a medicine be approved for market if it has never undergone any human trials (experiments) first?
6) Should animals be experimented on before doing experiments on people?
7) What could have Dr. Reed done so that his experiment was safer for his "assistants?"
8) Could he have done any other experiments to prove that contact with yellow fever patients did not cause yellow fever.
9) Would Dr. Reed's experiments have convinced you that sleeping in the dirty bed of somebody who died of yellow fever was safe?
10) Where was Dr. Reed born?
Classrooms, send us your thoughts at crew@eyeotw.org!
Mark Domanski, M.D.
Eye of the World, Medical Advisor
TSS