Movie “Miss Evers’ Boys”

Miss Evers Boys movie is based on a true story that happened in the 1930s. It’s a study called the “Tuskegee experiment” it took place in Alabama, where African American men participated and had no idea what conscience might cause later on. Because, these men were uneducated or did not have a higher level of education they were trusting and following what Miss. Evers word. 

Miss Evers is a nurse in that county who also participated in the study. The men’s who are participants of the experiment were not informed about how this disease could damage their immune system and other bay parts as well they were only told they are being checked if they have “bad blood”. The government started an experiment on African American men with Syphilis called the “Tuskegee experiment” in Alabama. The Tuskegee experiment is studying Blank men’s with Syphilis who are untreated. Its examination is such as blood work and x-ray. In the movie, they were using blood work examination. The man reason of the study and why they brought this to Alabama is to have more understanding about the black men body reaction to syphilis comparing to white men and at the time Alabama was where the most African American people lived in compared to other states. About a hundred and twelve men were found who was diagnosed with Syphilis. Syphilis is a germ that is painless but is high cottages it can also hide inside a human’s body for up to thirty years. Leads patents to not brit or spick. Once these men were selected, they were given long-term treatment but really the treatment was fake and was only giving placebos. Syphilis is treated by penicillin treatment and by a mercury blood is also not a hundred percent treatable. Once they started the study the plan was to use the program funding and turn it to the state but the state turned down the study and was told the state didn’t have enough money in another word it wasn’t considered worthy of the government research funds. During the study, they proposed and decided to not give any kind of antibiotic and the doctored are getting some benefit although it was not mentioned exactly what it was in the movie. Miss Evers objected the proposal but no one really heard her and because of her career, she had no choice but to follow and do what the doctors’ order her to do. Miss Evers then started to give the men’s free ride and offered food in exchange. Miss Evers was unhappy about the doctor’s decision and now they are against their words. She was committed to helping and getting rid of the disease. The “bad blood” the only person who knew about this other than the doctors and nurses is Caleb who Miss Ever told him because he does seem to question more about the study than the other and made sure he wouldn’t tell the others they have syphilis. Later on, the situation behind the curtain was leaked out by one of the staff who use to work at the hospital.

The Tuskegee experiment effects the publicity in many ways more than half of the people died from complication syphilis and those who survived have become disabled in many ways, for example, some lost their eye vision. After a while penicillin was available but was never offered to the people because it was being used to treat a different kind of infections but it was refused to give the men who are in the experiment on the “bad blood” or syphilis. Also, people weren’t aware of that there was some side effect when using penicillin but some did get the treatment and had no sign of any side effect which we also saw in the movie one of the characters was having a problem with his join and end up receiving penicillin. The Tuskegee experiment was studied between the 1930s – 1940s and early 1950s Throughout the movie, I saw that the people in Alabama and those who participated in the “Tuskegee” experiment were being lied to by the hospital and the medical specialists. Especially after they did the test for syphilis and patients were being lied to and misinformed about their health. It’s very unethical how this study wasn’t providing to help the people nor their communities instead it was being focused on syphilis and how it’s affecting African American men different than white men. The medical specialist could have educated the African American men what syphilis really is and how it can be treated. They have given the patient false information and I feel like the only reason the participants agreed to the experiment is they thought they had “bad blood” and were expecting a free treatment with no out of pocket cost. It’s really unfair and disrespectful how the government took their human right just because of their color leading to face lack of treatment, were only given placebos, and liniments leaving these men to death and just document their record. Many dies and the rest who survived end up having health complication afterward. It is very unethical how the government did not recognize or considered how the wellbeing of the individual is important no matter what their ethnicity or race might be. We see the U.S. Health Service discriminating the black men butting them in a risk of death. When really the U.S. Health Service was supposed to be about the health and wellbeing of the people and the communities. 

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