GUATEMALA EXPERIMENTS 1946-1948 
II 
“[T]he penis was grasped just distal to the sulcus between the left 
thumb and forefinger of the physician so that the mucosa of the 
fossa navicularis was averted and so that the urethra distal to a 
point 2-4 mm. from the meatus was occluded. With the right 
hand the physician carefully, and with some force, rolled the large 
inoculating swab over the mucosa so as to try to contaminate the 
entire fossa navicularis.” 392 
For the deep inoculation method, “the toothpick swab was. . .inserted about 
Vi [inch] into the urethra, and carefully rubbed over the mucous membrane, 
so much so as to cause pain.” 393 
Describing early results to Dr. Mahoney on May 17, 1947, Dr. Cutler explained: 
“On Friday, May the 9th, we performed another experiment inocu- 
lating six patients with pus and treating three of them. As of May 
15, one of the controls showed positive culture, the second showed 
considerable discharge with extra-cellular organisms, while the 
third shows considerably] discharge which is microscopically 
negative thus far. That reminds me of the patients at Terre Haute 
some of whom showed such a discharge for a few days before we 
were able to make the diagnosis, while others might show for a few 
days after inoculation extra or intra cellular organisms but remain 
culturally negative and not develope [sic] the infection. None of 
the treated patients thus far shows any evidence of a take.” 394 
In the same letter, Dr. Cutler also described the researchers’ first success 
using commercial sex workers for “normal exposure” from the months prior 
C[w]e have had the first success with the normal exposure with one patient 
of six showing positive results”). But, Dr. Cutler continued to voice concerns 
about the effectiveness of that method of transmission. 395 
Writing to Dr. Arnold on June 5, 1947, following eight sexual intercourse 
experiments, Dr. Cutler observed that infection by “natural exposure with 
these men is rather low.” 396 On June 22, after one additional sexual intercourse 
experiment, Dr. Cutler reported to Dr. Mahoney on his continued findings: 
49 
