The story of Elmer Allen - Book Report/Review Example

These codes helped them identify the victims and get updated with their "progress" from different doctors who were part of the plan. The said book highlights the story of Elmer Allen, an ordinary railroad porter who was used as human guinea pig for this government experiment, but survived through his own will to tell the story of his experience. The said experiment was approved by the US Army's Manhattan Project, these are the same people who developed the atomic bomb. Identified in army documents as the "most poisonous chemical known", the US pushed through with this project and during the years 1945-1947, successfully injected eighteen people.

The author, by exposing a half-century of cover-ups and denials and by forcing the government to admit its role in poisoning its own citizens, "The Plutonium Experiment" is a classic example of history. It is heart-breaking to realize, how such unfair experiments from the government would affect the daily life and long term aspirations of an individual, as in this case, Elmer Allen, because of self-centered goals which focuses on promoting and improving their warfare techniques. Elmer Allen was working as railroad porter when he was randomly selected for this experiment.

He was tagged as "Cal-3" and received an injection in his left calf and three days later his leg was amputated for what was identified as preexisting bone cancer. "The records also show that the scientists and doctors knew the ethics of such experiments were questionable and were sensitive about the experiment"(p.76). Despite such apprehensions on the doctors' side, the question about informed consent taken from patients was unresolved. In my opinion, the absence of consent from the patients' side arises human rights issues.

It is definitely important for the patients to be identified for the purpose of indemnification. For sure, the Government will be very wary in terms of divulging the identities of the unfortunate experimental subjects because this will definitely give birth to possible law suits and upheaval.It is undisputed that the effect of plutonium on one's body is fatal. "Cobb said plutonium's irradiation of the bone marrow also could have damaged the patient's immune systems and made them more susceptible to a great variety of symptoms"(p.72). Therefore, I find it very improper for the Government to carry out experiments as life threatening as this without getting any form of consent freely given from the victims.

"The Plutonium Experiment topped the litany of human experiments in a report issued in the late 1986 by the U.S. House of Representatives sub Committee on Energy, Conservation and Power"(p.88). This goes to show that such practice had somewhat been "institutionalized", generally accepted by the majority of government practitioners failing to understand the long term effects of such selfish motives to a regular unsuspecting individual. In my opinion, if such scandal be proven with merit, then authorized government authorities must be duly punished in accordance with law.

The government, being the ultimate protector of the rights of its people, must exercise proper diligence and prioritize the human side of economy and war rather than become blinded with what they perceive as proper and necessary. I