Question 4 - Radiation Experiments

[Diana S]

As the novel's acknowledgements reveal, the radiation experiments in this book are based on actual experiments carried out on U.S. citizens during the Cold War. Do you think such experiments are ever justified? Even if you don't, how do you think scientists and government officials justified them to themselves?

[Carol]

I'm torn between animal testing and human testing. In reading the acknowledgements, and as I said before living in nuclear country USA in New Mexico, I've seen many sides both good and bad related to this. It started here and they did some of the first testing here before they dropped the first bombs during the war. It was these bombs that won the war for us, but the fall out killed and maimed many many people. I'm torn and always will be. I probably have a different take on it than others of you.

[Ashley]

Oh no, never justified. Government overreach at its worst! The Cold War saw all sorts of rights and freedoms trumped by a government drunk on power and utterly terrified of the unknown, taking people's liberties it justified by working toward the greater good. Whatever that means.

And despite this being a very funny book, Stuckey-French goes right for the kill by depicting the most awful outcome anyone can possibly imagine, which is the death of a child. I too would kill Wilson.

[Cheryl]

UNLESS THERE IS FULL DISCLOSURE TO THE PERSON SUBJECTED TO THE EXPERIMENT, TESTS SHOULD NOT BE DONE ON HUMANS. WITH THE POWERS OF REASONS WE HAVE, AN INFORMED DECISION IS AN INDIVIDUAL'S CHOICE. HOWEVER, I WOULD NEVER KNOWINGLY BECOME SOMEONE'S LAB RAT. AND SINCE WHEN IN THE U.S. HAS ALL DISCLOSURE BEEN "FULL"?

[Carol]

Cheryl, your comment reminds me of the book "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot (Goodreads Author). My husband brought home an article about her just two days ago. She died of cancer, but her cancer cells never died, and in fact are still being used in experimentation some 50 years later. She is kind of a scientific miracle. They call them HELA Cells. Very interesting book.

[Diana S]

Carol, I'm so glad you brought up The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks because it reminded me of a book discussion ,one of my book clubs was invited to for Medical professionals on the Henrietta Lacks book. There, some of the medical people recommended for us to read Next by Michael Crichton. Some scary stuff about the world of advanced Medicine.