GUATEMALA EXPERIMENTS 1946-1948 
II 
to earn “complete cooperation” for the future inoculation work. 234 While Dr. 
Mahoney expressed some doubts, both Drs. Cutler and Spoto were anxious to 
provide a treatment program to the Guatemalan Army. 235 The program began 
and, eventually, approximately 309 soldiers received some form of STD treat- 
ment, such as penicillin or salvarsan. Of these 309, 242 were soldiers whom 
the researchers intentionally exposed to infection during the STD experi- 
ments at one point or another. 236 
In October, Dr. Mahoney wrote to Dr. Cutler: 
“Your show is already attracting rather wide and favorable attention 
up here. We are frequently asked as to the progress of your work. 
Doctor T.B. Turner of Johns Hopkins wants us to check on the 
pathogenicity in man of the rabbit spirochete; Doctor Neurath of 
Duke would like to have us follow patients with his verification 
procedure; [Surgeon General] Doctor Parran and probably Doctor 
Moore might drop in for a visit after the first of the year.” 237 
While supervisors and colleagues in the United States were awaiting oppor- 
tunities to do additional research, Dr. Cutler was continuing to develop 
relations with the Guatemalan authorities. In November, Dr. Cutler asked 
Dr. Mahoney to provide the Guatemalan Army with penicillin, which was in 
short supply, for its own needs on a reimbursable basis. Dr. Mahoney rejected 
this request, warning against “entering into a too comprehensive program 
which may involve the use of more of the drug than we are able to procure.” 238 
Dr. Cutler agreed and promised to use the penicillin sparingly so as to leave it 
available for “demonstration programs and to build goodwill.” 239 
TREATMENT DURING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING 
The researchers conducted diagnostic testing for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chancroid 
among 5,128 subjects including sex workers, soldiers, prisoners, orphans, schoolchildren, 
leprosarium patients, and U.S. servicemen. 
Out of the subjects involved in the Guatemala experiments, the researchers provided 
some form of STD treatment for 820 of them. While some of the subjects involved in 
the diagnostic testing were also involved in the intentional exposure experiments, at least 
142 subjects who were not exposed to an STD by the researchers were given some form 
of treatment. 
33 
