Chester Milton Southam (October 4, 1919 – April 15, 2002)[1] was an immunologist and oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell University Medical College; he went to Thomas Jefferson University in 1971 and worked there until the end of his career.[1] He ran many experiments involving the injection of live cancer cells into human subjects, without disclosing that they were cancer cells, and using subjects with questionable ability to consent, such as incarcerated people and senile patients in long-term care at a hospital.[2] The New York State Attorney General encouraged the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to take away Southam's medical license.[2] Regardless, he went on to be president of the American Association for Cancer Research. His work was labeled by both modern scientists and his contemporaries as highly dangerous and unethical.[3]
In the following year he was promoted from clinical fellow to attending physician at the Memorial Hospital for Cancer and also received a promotion from research fellow to full member at the Chief Division Virology/Immunology.[4] He joined the faculty of Cornell's medical college in 1951 and was eventually promoted to full professor.[4]
Non-consensual patientsedit
From the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, Southam conducted clinical research on people without their informed consent, in which he injected cancer cells (HeLa cells) into their skin, to see if their immune system would reject the cancer cells or if the cells would grow. He did this to patients under his care or others' care, and to prisoners.[5][6] In 1963, doctors Avir Kagan, David Leichter and Perry Fersko of Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital objected to the lack of consent in his experiments and reported him to the Regents of the University of the State of New York which found him guilty of fraud, deceit, and unprofessional conduct, and in the end he was placed on probation for a year.[5][6] Southam's research was conducted in an era when cancer research was closely followed in the mainstream media; his experiments and the case at the Regents were reported in The New York Times[7][8][9][10][11] and declared highly unethical.[12]
West Nile Virusedit
In the 1950s, Southam also tested the West Nile Virus as a potential virotherapy; he injected it into over 100 cancer patients who had terminal cancer and few treatment options.[13] This work had some good results and was also reported in The New York Times, but some people he injected got severe cases of West Nile fever; he went on to do further research to see if he could "train" the virus to kill cancer without the common side effects of chemotherapy.[13]
Late careeredit
Southam was later elected president of the American Association for Cancer Research.[13] In 1971, Southam left his positions at Memorial Sloan Kettering and Cornell to become the head of The Division of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and a professor of medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Medical College; he held these positions until the end of his career in 1979.[4]
Referencesedit
^ ab"Paid Notice: Deaths Southam, Chester Milton". The New York Times. April 10, 2002.
^ abSkloot, Rebecca (2010). The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: Broadway Paperbacks. pp. 134–135.
^ abSkloot, Rebecca (2010). The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. New York: Crown/Archetype. pp. 127–135. ISBN9780307589385.
^ abMulford, R.D. (1967). "Experimentation on Human Beings". Stanford Law Review. 20 (1): 99–117. doi:10.2307/1227417. JSTOR 1227417.
^"14 Convicts Injected With Live Cancer Cells". The New York Times. 15 June 1956.
^Johnston, Richard J. (15 April 1957). "Cancer Defenses Found to Differ; Tests Indicate Victims Lack Some Mechanisms That Well Human Being Has Cancer Recurred Deficiency Is Noted Warning by Southam". The New York Times.
^Osmundsen, John A. (26 January 1964). "Many Scientific Experts Condemn Ethics of Cancer Injection". The New York Times.
^Plumb, Robert K. (22 March 1964). "Scientists Split on Cancer Tests". The New York Times.
^"Ruling is Upset on Cancer Test". The New York Times. 8 July 1964.
^"Many Scientific Experts Condemn Ethics of Cancer Injection". The New York Times. 26 January 1964.
^ abcSepkowitz, Kent (2009-08-24). "West Nile Made Its U.S. Debut in the 1950s, in a Doctor's Syringe". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-11-13.
December 15, 2023
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Chester Milton Southam October 4 1919 April 15 2002 1 was an immunologist and oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Cornell University Medical College he went to Thomas Jefferson University in 1971 and worked there until the end of his career 1 He ran many experiments involving the injection of live cancer cells into human subjects without disclosing that they were cancer cells and using subjects with questionable ability to consent such as incarcerated people and senile patients in long term care at a hospital 2 The New York State Attorney General encouraged the Board of Regents of the University of the State of New York to take away Southam s medical license 2 Regardless he went on to be president of the American Association for Cancer Research His work was labeled by both modern scientists and his contemporaries as highly dangerous and unethical 3 Chester M SouthamBorn 1919 10 04 October 4 1919DiedApril 15 2002 2002 04 15 aged 82 Alma materUniversity of Idaho BS MS Columbia University MD Known forNon consensual injection of cancer cells into healthy patientsScientific careerFieldsOncologyInstitutionsMemorial Sloan Kettering Thomas Jefferson University American Association for Cancer Research Contents 1 Education 2 Career 2 1 Non consensual patients 2 2 West Nile Virus 2 3 Late career 3 ReferencesEducation editSoutham earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a master s degree from the University of Idaho and his medical degree from Columbia University graduating in 1947 4 He became an intern at Presbyterian Hospital in New York City in 1947 4 Career editIn the following year he was promoted from clinical fellow to attending physician at the Memorial Hospital for Cancer and also received a promotion from research fellow to full member at the Chief Division Virology Immunology 4 He joined the faculty of Cornell s medical college in 1951 and was eventually promoted to full professor 4 Non consensual patients edit From the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s Southam conducted clinical research on people without their informed consent in which he injected cancer cells HeLa cells into their skin to see if their immune system would reject the cancer cells or if the cells would grow He did this to patients under his care or others care and to prisoners 5 6 In 1963 doctors Avir Kagan David Leichter and Perry Fersko of Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital objected to the lack of consent in his experiments and reported him to the Regents of the University of the State of New York which found him guilty of fraud deceit and unprofessional conduct and in the end he was placed on probation for a year 5 6 Southam s research was conducted in an era when cancer research was closely followed in the mainstream media his experiments and the case at the Regents were reported in The New York Times 7 8 9 10 11 and declared highly unethical 12 West Nile Virus edit In the 1950s Southam also tested the West Nile Virus as a potential virotherapy he injected it into over 100 cancer patients who had terminal cancer and few treatment options 13 This work had some good results and was also reported in The New York Times but some people he injected got severe cases of West Nile fever he went on to do further research to see if he could train the virus to kill cancer without the common side effects of chemotherapy 13 Late career edit Southam was later elected president of the American Association for Cancer Research 13 In 1971 Southam left his positions at Memorial Sloan Kettering and Cornell to become the head of The Division of Medical Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and a professor of medicine at Thomas Jefferson University Medical College he held these positions until the end of his career in 1979 4 References edit a b Paid Notice Deaths Southam Chester Milton The New York Times April 10 2002 a b Skloot Rebecca 2010 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks New York Broadway Paperbacks pp 134 135 NYC s forgotten cancer scandal PDF a b c d e Chester Milton Southam n d Marquis Biographies Online Web 7 Nov 2016 a b Skloot Rebecca 2010 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks New York Crown Archetype pp 127 135 ISBN 9780307589385 a b Mulford R D 1967 Experimentation on Human Beings Stanford Law Review 20 1 99 117 doi 10 2307 1227417 JSTOR 1227417 14 Convicts Injected With Live Cancer Cells The New York Times 15 June 1956 Johnston Richard J 15 April 1957 Cancer Defenses Found to Differ Tests Indicate Victims Lack Some Mechanisms That Well Human Being Has Cancer Recurred Deficiency Is Noted Warning by Southam The New York Times Osmundsen John A 26 January 1964 Many Scientific Experts Condemn Ethics of Cancer Injection The New York Times Plumb Robert K 22 March 1964 Scientists Split on Cancer Tests The New York Times Ruling is Upset on Cancer Test The New York Times 8 July 1964 Many Scientific Experts Condemn Ethics of Cancer Injection The New York Times 26 January 1964 a b c Sepkowitz Kent 2009 08 24 West Nile Made Its U S Debut in the 1950s in a Doctor s Syringe The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2016 11 13 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Chester M Southam amp oldid 1165698525, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
