Sociology 1301. Racism. The Tuskegee Syphilis Study

The Tuskegee Syphilis Study
Author Name
University Name
From the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, it is evident that a group of scientists studied hundreds of Negro males with advanced syphilis, but they never received the treatment they were initially told about. It is considered the most unethical, malicious and infamous clinical study in the history. The U.S. Public Health Service carried out some experiments from 1932 to 1972 with an aim to observe how syphilis impacted the health of African-American men. The government had promised free treatment and care as they were unable to pay the doctors’ fees but wanted to get recovered from the illness as soon as possible (Daugherty-Brownrigg, 2012).
As part of their research project, a group of health professionals from the Tuskegee University and the U.S. Public Health Service enrolled a total of 622 black men and told them that they would be provided with free treatment, free medications, regular meals and access to life insurance policies. Out of these 622 men, nearly 437 had already contracted syphilis, and approximately 168 did not show any signs of the disease. Syphilis is one of the most dangerous sexually transmitted diseases. It is caused by the subspecies of Treponema, and early signs and symptoms of the illness are itchy skin, and sores in the vagina or mouth (Daugherty-Brownrigg, 2012).
Syphilis is transmitted during sex and from a woman to her baby during pregnancy or at the time of the birth. According to Brittany Daugherty-Brownrigg, in 2011, more than 45 million people lost their lives due to syphilis. In those days, people were requested to use condoms and opt for other safe-sex ways to be assured of their health and wellbeing. They were also encouraged to avoid prostitutes, and Cuba wa...