Strange Country Epi. 121: Human Radiation Experiments
Nov 28, 2019
Over a 30 year period, from 1944 - 1974, the U.S. government deliberately and purposefully conducted radioactive tests on its citizens and released radioactive elements into the environment. Strange Country cohosts Beth and Kelly explore some of these experiments like the boys of Fernald fed Quaker Oats laced with radioactive iron or the pregnant women visiting Vanderbilt Hospital given "cocktails" to help with their prenatal problems.
Theme music: Big White Lie by A Cast of Thousands
Cite your sources:
“1944–1956: Radioactive Nutrition Experiments on Retarded Children by Harvard and MIT.” AHRP, 20 Apr. 2016, https://ahrp.org/1944-1956-radioactive-nutrition-experiments-conducted-by-harvard-and-mit-on-disabled-children/.
“44 Years Later, the Truth About the 'Science Club'.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 31 Dec. 1993, https://www.nytimes.com/1993/12/31/us/44-years-later-the-truth-about-the-science-club.html.
“America's Deep, Dark Secret.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/americas-deep-dark-secret/.
Boissoneault, Lorraine. “A Spoonful of Sugar Helps the Radioactive Oatmeal Go Down.” Smithsonian.com, Smithsonian Institution, 8 Mar. 2017, https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/spoonful-sugar-helps-radioactive-oatmeal-go-down-180962424/.
Chapter 7: The Studies at the Fernald School, Advisory Committee On Human Radiation Experiments, https://bioethicsarchive.georgetown.edu/achre/final/chap7_5.html.
Crockett, Zachary. “The Dark Secret of the MIT Science Club for Children.” Priceonomics, 19 Apr. 2016, https://priceonomics.com/the-mit-science-club-for-disabled-children/.
Dobbin, Ben. “Relatives of Six People Injected With Plutonium Sue for $300 Million.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 19 June 1995, https://apnews.com/bd4e82f9a52817a97d92de4000f9af79.
“Fernald State School.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura, 5 Nov. 2014, https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/fernald-state-school.
Hornblum, Allen M., et al. Against Their Will: the Secret History of Medical Experimentation on Children in Cold War America. Palgrave Macmillan, 2014.
“Radioactive Oatmeal Suit Settled for $1.85 Million.” The Washington Post, “1944–1956: Radioactive Nutrition Experiments on Retarded Children by Harvard and MIT.” AHRP, 20 Apr. 2016, https://ahrp.org/1944-1956-radioactive-nutrition-experiments-conducted-by-harvard-and-mit-on-disabled-children/.
“Settlement Reached in Suit Over Radioactive Oatmeal Experiment.” The New York Times, 1 Jan. 1998, https://www.nytimes.com/1998/01/01/us/settlement-reached-in-suit-over-radioactive-oatmeal-experiment.html.
“Vanderbilt Sued on Radiation.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 2 Feb. 1994, https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/02/us/vanderbilt-sued-on-radiation.html.
Welsome, Eileen. The Plutonium Files: Americas Secret Medical Experiments in the Cold War. Delta, 2000.