A Heavy Price in the Name of Bad Science:

By the end of the experiment, 28 of the men died directly of syphilis, 100 were dead of related complications, 40 of their wives had been effected, and 19 of their children had been born with congenital syphilis. How has these men been induced to endure a fatal disease in the name of science?

To persuade the communtiy to support the experiment, one of the doctor's admitted it "wasnecessry to carry on this study under the guise of a demonstration and provide treatment. At first, the men were prescribe the syphilis remedies of the day, bismuth, neoarsphenamine, and mercury, but in such small amounts that only 3 percent showed any improvement.

These token doeses of medicine were good public relations and did not interfere with the true aims of study. Eventually, all syphilis treatment was replace with "pink medicine"--aspirin. To enure the men would show up for a painful and potentially dangeous spinal tap, the PHS mislead them with a letter full of promotional hype.

"Last Chance for Special Free Treatment" The fact tht autopies would eventually be required was also conceled. As a doctor explained, "If the colored population becomes aware that that accepting fee hosptial care means a past mortem,every darky will leave Macon County.

"Even the Surgeon Gereral of the United States participated in enticing the men to remain in the experiment, sending them ceritificates of appreciation after 25 years in the study.