Chapter 17: Illegal, Immoral, and Deplorable
Southam’s cancer cell injections are documented in many scientific articles he authored or
coauthored, including “Neoplastic Changes Developing in Epithelial Cell Lines Derived from
Normal Persons,” Science 124, no. 3212 (July 20, 1956); “Transplantation of Human Tu-
mors,” letter, Science 125, no. 3239 (January 25, 1957); “Homotransplantation of Human Cell
Lines,” Science 125, no. 3239 (January 25, 1957); “Applications of Immunology to Clinical
Cancer Past Attempts and Future Possibilities,” Cancer Research 21 (October 1961):
1302–16; and “History and Prospects of Immunotherapy of Cancer,” Annals of the New York
Academy of Sciences 277, no. 1 (1976).
For media coverage of Southam’s prison studies, see “Convicts to Get Cancer Injection,”
New York Times, May 23, 1956; “Cancer by the Needle,” Newsweek, June 4, 1956; “14 Con-
victs Injected with Live Cancer Cells,” New York Times, June 15, 1956; “Cancer Volunteers,”
Time, February 25, 1957; “Cancer Defenses Found to Differ,” New York Times, April 15,
1957; “Cancer Injections Cause ‘Reaction,’” New York Times, July 18, 1956; “Convicts
Sought for Cancer Test,” New York Times, August 1, 1957.
The most complete resource on Southam’s cancer cell injections and the hearings that fol-
lowed is Experimentation with Human Beings, by Jay Katz, in which he collected extensive
original correspondence, court documents, and other materials that might otherwise have
been lost, as they weren’t retained by the Board of Regents. Also see Jay Katz,
“Experimentation on Human Beings,” Stanford Law Review 20 (November 1967). For Hy-
man’s lawsuits, see William A. Hyman v. Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital (42 Misc. 2d 427;
248N.YS.2d 245; 1964 and 15 N.Y.2d 317; 206 N.E.2d 338; 258 N.Y.S.2d 397; 1965). Also
see patient lawsuit, Alvin Zeleznik v. Jewish Chronic Disease Hospital (47 A.D.2d 199; 366
N.Y.S.2d 163; 1975). Beecher’s paper is H. Beecher, “Ethics and Clinical Research,” New
England Journal of Medicine 274, no. 24 (June 16, 1966).
The news coverage of the ethical debate surrounding the Southam controversy includes
“Scientific Experts Condemn Ethics of Cancer Injection,” New York Times, January 26, 1964;
Earl Ubell, “Why the Big Fuss,” Chronicle-Telegram, January 25, 1961; Elinor Langer,
“Human Experimentation: Cancer Studies at Sloan-Kettering Stir Public Debate on Medical
Eth ics,” Science 143 (February 7, 1964); and Elinor Langer, “Human Experimentation: New
York Verdict Affirms Patient Rights,” Science (February 11, 1966).
Susan E. Lederer’s Subjected to Science: Human Experimentation in America Before the
Second World War is a must-read on the ethics and history of research on human subjects,