Skip to main content

The timeline can be navigated by dragging the pointer on the timeline bar, located at the bottom of the screen on the desktop version and on the left of the screen on mobile. To filter by a specific topic, make a selection on the dropdown “Filters” menu or click “Search” to do a keyword search. To learn more, click “Read More” below.

Read More

The Terre Haute and El Reno prisons enlist incarcerated men for experimental testing.

1944

EXP
MED
PIC
EPD
PHA

At Terre Haute prison in Indiana, 241 incarcerated men are recruited as test subjects for medications for gonorrhea. The studies are conducted by Dr. John C. Cutler and Dr. John F. Mahoney of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). They are investigating interventions for sexually transmitted infections. The men consent and are compensated $100 in exchange for having multiple strains of gonorrhea injected into their penises. In the end, the studies prove inconclusive.

Around the same time in El Reno prison, 300 incarcerated men are tested on to explore immunization against the organism that causes gangrene.