Rudenstine Will Probe Conduct

President Neil L. Rudenstine this week said he is "very concerned" about reports that a Harvard Medical School professor conducted radiation experiments on uninformed subjects at a state school for retarded children four decades ago.

"I take it very seriously," Rudenstine said in an interview Monday. "We've made it loud and clear to all--to everyone looking at this--that we want to be fully cooperative and that we want to know what the facts are and that we're very concerned."

Rudenstine said Harvard is conducting a thorough review of its records and is working with state agencies to determine the extent of the University's involvement in the experiments.

A recent evaluation of Harvard's current experimentation procedures indicated that the University is in compliance with all national standards for tests on human subjects, he said.

The Harvard News Office disclosed last week that the University was investigating its involvement in the experiments, which occured at the Fernald State School for the retarded in the 1940s and 1950s.

The Crimson first reported Friday that Clemens E. Benda, a Medical School faculty member until 1964 and chief physician at the Fernald School, led tests in which retarded students were fed radioactive milk with their breakfast cereal. Benda died in 1975.

Fernald residents who participated in the test were euphemistically called members of the "Science Club." They were not told of the radiation and were rewarded for their participation in the club with candy, according to experts who have reviewed the studies.

Rudenstine said the University had created "two or three" working groups to investigate different aspects of the University's possible involvement in the tests. Harvard has also offered to cooperate with Governor William F. Weld '66, Senator Edward M. Kennedy '54-56 (D-Mass) and any agencies participating in an ongoingstatewide investigation, Rudenstine said.

University Attorney Anne Taylor last nightconfirmed that her office is assisting the probe,which she called "a Herculean task." But Taylordeclined to discuss any details of her role in theprobe.

Taylor also would not comment on issues ofpossible University liability for the tests.

Rudenstine declined to speculate on thepossibility of compensation for the test subjects.

"If at the very end of all the determinationsand the fact finding and the judgments by peoplethere is some determination of responsibility,we'll want to know where that determination lies,and we'll want to look at it in context and we'llmake a judgment," Rudenstine said.

Rudenstine said initial indications suggestthat Harvard's involvement with the experimentswas limited and through its affiliatedinstitutions.

"As far as we can tell the ways in which anyHarvard people were involved--and as far as I cansee there were a couple of individuals--wereessentially through affiliates and not through theMedical School proper or one of our mainstructures," he said.

"As I see it we will be looking for quite along time and we ought to be looking for quite along time because it ought to be a matter ofserious concern for us," the president added.

Rudenstine said that though he is notpersonally involved in the Harvard investigation,he will "continue my level of intense interest.I'm going to stay very closely abreast ofanything."

Medical School Dean Daniel C. Tosteson '44 didnot return a phone call yesterday.

--Stephen E. Frank and Marion B. Gammillcontributed to the reporting of this story.

University Attorney Anne Taylor last nightconfirmed that her office is assisting the probe,which she called "a Herculean task." But Taylordeclined to discuss any details of her role in theprobe.

Taylor also would not comment on issues ofpossible University liability for the tests.

Rudenstine declined to speculate on thepossibility of compensation for the test subjects.

"If at the very end of all the determinationsand the fact finding and the judgments by peoplethere is some determination of responsibility,we'll want to know where that determination lies,and we'll want to look at it in context and we'llmake a judgment," Rudenstine said.

Rudenstine said initial indications suggestthat Harvard's involvement with the experimentswas limited and through its affiliatedinstitutions.

"As far as we can tell the ways in which anyHarvard people were involved--and as far as I cansee there were a couple of individuals--wereessentially through affiliates and not through theMedical School proper or one of our mainstructures," he said.

"As I see it we will be looking for quite along time and we ought to be looking for quite along time because it ought to be a matter ofserious concern for us," the president added.

Rudenstine said that though he is notpersonally involved in the Harvard investigation,he will "continue my level of intense interest.I'm going to stay very closely abreast ofanything."

Medical School Dean Daniel C. Tosteson '44 didnot return a phone call yesterday.

--Stephen E. Frank and Marion B. Gammillcontributed to the reporting of this story.