Race-Based Mustard Gas Studies on U.S. Soldiers
Mustard Gas and
American Race-
Based Human
Experimentation
in World War II
Susan L. Smith
During World War II, scientists funded by
the United States government conducted
mustard gas experiments on 60,000
American soldiers as part of military preparation
for potential chemical warfare.1 One aspect of the
chemical warfare research program on mustard
gas involved race-based human experimentation.
In at least nine research projects conducted during
the 1940s, scientists investigated how so-called
racial di!erences a!ected the impact of mustard
gas exposure on the bodies of soldiers. Building on
cultural beliefs about “race,” these studies occurred
on military bases and universities, which became
places for racialized human experimentation.
This paper examines the risks of racialized science
and the logic of racial thinking as revealed in the mustard
gas experiments.
Race and Medicine
American Race-
Based Human
Experimentation
in World War II
Susan L. Smith
During World War II, scientists funded by
the United States government conducted
mustard gas experiments on 60,000
American soldiers as part of military preparation
for potential chemical warfare.1 One aspect of the
chemical warfare research program on mustard
gas involved race-based human experimentation.
In at least nine research projects conducted during
the 1940s, scientists investigated how so-called
racial di!erences a!ected the impact of mustard
gas exposure on the bodies of soldiers. Building on
cultural beliefs about “race,” these studies occurred
on military bases and universities, which became
places for racialized human experimentation.
This paper examines the risks of racialized science
and the logic of racial thinking as revealed in the mustard
gas experiments.
Race and Medicine
Comment
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Comment by Jeff on January 24, 2009 at 3:16am
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Hey Charles, not so different world today, really.
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Comment by C on January 16, 2009 at 10:59pm
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Sorry to hear that about your uncle.
My dad a black man was in the army. He passed at the young age of 65 in 2002 from prostate cancer. Who knows? Most people looked at him as being very healthy.
But most people think healthy is a slim person eating Cheerios.
The Dr. told us "I've never seen cancer move so fast throughout the body!"
You would think that over the years people would begin to wake up and understand how our military is treated. It seems to be always after the fact? I have friends that were in the first gulf war. Some are O.K. for now but most have very serious health issues. Always the same story I've been told.
PEACE
C
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