GUATEMALA EXPERIMENTS 1946-1948 
II 
Normal Exposure 
Dr. Cutler’s contemporaneous notes identify 
four commercial sex workers who were used 
in “normal exposure” gonorrhea experiments 
on two different days in which they had sexual 
intercourse with soldiers (Dr. Cutler did not 
include the first two days experiments in his 
final gonorrhea report and also reported that 
12 sex workers were involved). 350 Commer- 
cial sex workers were also involved in artificial 
inoculation exposure experiments after sexual 
intercourse (discussed below) on 13 different 
days. 351 Both Dr. Luis Galich, the head of the 
Ministry of Public Health, and Dr. Juan Funes, by that time the Chief of Medi- 
cine at VDSPH, referred infected commercial sex workers from VDSPH to Dr. 
Cutler. 352 Their assistance was advantageous because, Dr. Cutler reported in 
1932, “[c]ontrary to what might be expected, it proved extremely difficult to 
obtain prostitutes willing to serve under experimental conditions.” 353 
Dr. Funes was the physician responsible for the medical supervision of the 
commercial sex workers and the STD rapid treatment centers “where all 
venereal disease patients could be hospitalized for free treatment.” 354 Detailed 
Guatemalan regulations, a copy of which Dr. Cutler retained in his personal 
papers, 355 required commercial sex workers be at least 18 years old, register 
with the Sexual Prophylaxis and Venereal Diseases Section 356 of the govern- 
ment, and report twice weekly for an examination at a local Venereal Disease 
Control Clinic. 35 " Women infected with syphilis, gonorrhea, or chancroid 
were prohibited from working as commercial sex workers, but treatment, 
which was based primarily on arsenical drugs, was provided at no cost. 358 
There is no record in any of the available documents that the women 
consented to being a part of the experiments or had any idea that they 
were infected with STDs by the researchers. 359 Medical records reflect that 
at least one commercial sex worker used in these prophylaxis experiments 
was 16 years old, contrary to applicable law. 360 Several of the women were 
also given alcohol before the experiments. While documents stated that men 
Dr. Luis Galich 
"Gallery of future Presidential contenders: 
We now offer readers the Mayor of the 
capital. Luis Fernando Galich. ~ 
Published in Diario La Horn on May 11 1962. 
The Daily Journal, Historical Archives, CIRMA 
45 
