Alumnus Seeks a Harvard Apology

A Harvard graduate called this week for the University to apologize publicly for radiation experiments conducted by its researchers in the 1950s and 1960s and to work to codify rights for subjects of medical experiments.

"You get in big trouble covering up and covering indefensible positions," said the graduate, David H. Dockham '58. "Why don't you just admit it and move on?"

Dockham, who has become an advocate for the mentally retarded, said in telephone interviews from his home in Seattle this week that Harvard "bears a moral and ethical liability" and should "apologize publicly" for its involvement.

"At some point you just need to apologize and damn the details," Dockham said. "Harvard needs to apologize publicly and take strong moral leadership. I think they could do that without compromising their position. Harvard needs to make its own apology."

In January, Harvard launched an investigation of its role in experiments involving radiation during the Cold War era. But the University has been defensive in its response to news of the tests and has yet to apologize to the victims.

Dockham is the first Harvard affiliate to suggest a public apology for the University's participation in the experiments.

Dockham said he called President Neil L. Rudenstine about a week after learning about the experiments, but spoke only to one of the president's assistants. "They probably thought they had heard all I had to say, but they haven't," he said.

Dockham said he was especially hurt upon learning about the experiments because his son, Bill, is retarded. Two radiation experiments revealed during an ongoing state investigation have linked Harvard researchers to testing on retarded children atMassachusetts State Schools for the retarded.

"My reaction was real disappointment inHarvard--disappointment and anger," Dockham said."I guess....not only because I have a son who isretarded, but more so because I learned myidealism from Harvard."

"I'm used to fighting windmills," said Dockham."I think it betrays an attitude that these peoplewere less than human. I think that's obvious and Ithink that's a horrible attitude. And I thinkthat's what we're fighting."

Dockham said his anger was stoked by a letterwritten by Mallinckrodt Professor of PhysicsRichard Wilson and published in theOregonian newspaper on February 7.

In his letter, Wilson wrote that a 1954experiment with radiation at the Fernald StateSchool for the retarded involved "little or norisk" to the retarded test subjects. The professorcalled recent comparisons between theseexperiments and tests conducted by the Nazis onhuman subjects "carelessly done."

But Dockham said the comparison was legitimate.He cited as an example the consent form thatparents of children in the Fernald experiment wereasked to sign. The form makes no mention ofradiation.

"The form was deceptive--a fallacy," Dockhamsaid. "I think I can understand anything if it'sexplained clearly enough."

Dockham is calling for Harvard to establish theNuremburg code as a standard for medicalexperimentation. The code states that "voluntaryconsent of the human subject [of experimentation]is essential."

"I'm suggesting Harvard take a leadershipposition and establish the Nuremburg code as acode for all future experimentation on humanbeings," Dockham said. "Taking a leadershipposition would make up for Harvard's ethical andmoral liabilities."

"I would make sure this thing never happensagain," said Dockham, who has followed revelationsof the experiments in the Boston Globe, which hissister sends him from her home in Lowell, Mass.

Harvard has received a handful of calls fromalumni concerning the experiments since the storybroke in early January, according to Universityspokesperson Joe Wrinn.

Vice President for Government, Community andPublic Affairs Jane H. Corlette was in Washington,D.C. yesterday and could not be reached forcomment.

In contrast to Harvard's defensive statementson its involvement, MIT President Charles M. Vestoffered an apology of sorts in January for therole of that institution's researchers in thetests

"My reaction was real disappointment inHarvard--disappointment and anger," Dockham said."I guess....not only because I have a son who isretarded, but more so because I learned myidealism from Harvard."

"I'm used to fighting windmills," said Dockham."I think it betrays an attitude that these peoplewere less than human. I think that's obvious and Ithink that's a horrible attitude. And I thinkthat's what we're fighting."

Dockham said his anger was stoked by a letterwritten by Mallinckrodt Professor of PhysicsRichard Wilson and published in theOregonian newspaper on February 7.

In his letter, Wilson wrote that a 1954experiment with radiation at the Fernald StateSchool for the retarded involved "little or norisk" to the retarded test subjects. The professorcalled recent comparisons between theseexperiments and tests conducted by the Nazis onhuman subjects "carelessly done."

But Dockham said the comparison was legitimate.He cited as an example the consent form thatparents of children in the Fernald experiment wereasked to sign. The form makes no mention ofradiation.

"The form was deceptive--a fallacy," Dockhamsaid. "I think I can understand anything if it'sexplained clearly enough."

Dockham is calling for Harvard to establish theNuremburg code as a standard for medicalexperimentation. The code states that "voluntaryconsent of the human subject [of experimentation]is essential."

"I'm suggesting Harvard take a leadershipposition and establish the Nuremburg code as acode for all future experimentation on humanbeings," Dockham said. "Taking a leadershipposition would make up for Harvard's ethical andmoral liabilities."

"I would make sure this thing never happensagain," said Dockham, who has followed revelationsof the experiments in the Boston Globe, which hissister sends him from her home in Lowell, Mass.

Harvard has received a handful of calls fromalumni concerning the experiments since the storybroke in early January, according to Universityspokesperson Joe Wrinn.

Vice President for Government, Community andPublic Affairs Jane H. Corlette was in Washington,D.C. yesterday and could not be reached forcomment.

In contrast to Harvard's defensive statementson its involvement, MIT President Charles M. Vestoffered an apology of sorts in January for therole of that institution's researchers in thetests