Acres of skin : human experiments at Holmesburg Prison : a true story of abuse and exploitation in the name of medical science / Allen M. Hornblum.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hornblum, Allen M.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Kligman, Albert M., 1916-2010.

Kligman, Albert M.

Holmesburg Prison.

Human experimentation in medicine--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Human experimentation in medicine.

Prisoners--Medical care--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Prisoners.

Convict labor--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Convict labor.

Dermatology--Research--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Dermatology.

Human Experimentation--history.

Dermatology--Research.

Prisoners--Medical care.

Philadelphia.

Human Experimentation--ethics.

Prisoners--history.

Dioxins--history.

Tretinoin--history.

Pennsylvania--Philadelphia.

Medical Subjects:

Human Experimentation--history.

Philadelphia.

Human Experimentation--ethics.

Prisoners--history.

Dermatology.

Dioxins--history.

Tretinoin--history.

Physical Description:

xxii, 297 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

New York : Routledge, 1998.

Summary:

In this expose, Allen M. Hornblum tells the story of Philadelphia's Holmesburg Prison. From the early 1950s through the mid-1970s, Holmesburg's inmates were used, in exchange for a few dollars, as guinea pigs in a host of medical experiments. Based on in-depth interviews with dozens of prisoners as well as the doctors and prison officials who, respectively, performed and permitted these experimental tests, Hornblum paints a disturbing portrait of abuse, moral indifference, and greed. Central to this account are the millions of dollars many of America's leading drug and consumer goods companies made available for the eager doctors seeking fame and fortune through their medical experiments. Many of these doctors established their illustrious careers on the backs of the inmates who served as the ideal test subjects - isolated, cheap, and locked behind bars.

Contents:

"The money was good and the money was easy" (Inmates recall life and experiments at Holmesburg Prison)

"It was like a farmer seeing a fertile field" (Dr. Albert M. Kligman enters Holmesburg)

"They're dropping like flies out here" (History of U.S. prisoner experimentation)

"The walls seemed to be breathing" (The army tests chemical warfare agents)

"I am not part of the program" (Radioactive isotopes are introduced)

"Danger! This material is extremely toxic" (The dioxin experiments)

"Where are we going to do these things now?" (The slow demise of inmate experimentation)

"Retin-A®'s birthplace was at Holmesburg Prison" (The discovery of Retin-A®)

"A conspiracy of silence" (Conclusion).

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [271]-284) and index.

ISBN:

0415923360

9780415923361

OCLC:

40397583