As I went through the information on the Tuskegee experiment, I found Eunice Rivers, the main research assistant and nurse, to be of much interest. While she played an integral role in the experiment, there is much speculation on her level of awareness and her participation in the experimentation. The participants/survivors only talked highly of Rivers, praising her and revering her as their angel. Many talk about the fact that she was also an African American, either debunking the racism idea or further pushing the idea by making Rivers complicit without consent; others find her just as guilty as the 'white' officials, claiming she should not have received rewards but rather punishment. What I found most interesting, however, is how now, people talk of her as the victim because of her race and her gender. Also, in her eyes, she felt that caring for the patients was her number one task, and she did that. She claims to be completely guiltless. I decided to learn more about her background, what it meant to be a nurse at the time, and how racism played into her role in the Tuskegee study.
Rivers played an integral part as the head nurse of the experiment. As said by Susan Smith, "throughout the early twentieth century, the black nurse was a key figure in spreading the gospel of health or health education to African Americans." Rivers participated in a public health initiative started by Booker T. Washington called the Movable School, which tried to improve the living conditions as well as educate the poor farmers. Public nurses were given a great deal of independence despite the discrimination towards their wages. Black public nurses especially felt their role was extremely important, because it was up to them to get the word out about health reforms to the African American community.
Even though Rivers was very dedicated to being a nurse within the Movable School, her messages only reached women. Because of the gender stereotypes of the time, she really only had the authority to inform and assist women, and women of her own race. These women were extremely poor, but were also completely responsible for the well-being of their families: caring for the sick, cleaning and cooking, and personal hygiene. Her lessons to women were varied, and she spent a great deal of time answering questions. When it came to men, the only message she ever passed on was about venereal diseases. Despite her hard work, many didn't believe she truly belonged in the profession, claiming "the negro woman has no place as a graduate nurse." When the Depression hit and people were laid off, Eunice Rivers lost her job, one of the reasons she quickly accepted the role with the Tuskegee experiment.
With all this background, and all her passion and care for patients, why did Eunice Rivers never challenge the Tuskegee study? Why didn't she fight back for all the African Americans affected, but rather took part?
Even though Rivers was very dedicated to being a nurse within the Movable School, her messages only reached women. Because of the gender stereotypes of the time, she really only had the authority to inform and assist women, and women of her own race. These women were extremely poor, but were also completely responsible for the well-being of their families: caring for the sick, cleaning and cooking, and personal hygiene. Her lessons to women were varied, and she spent a great deal of time answering questions. When it came to men, the only message she ever passed on was about venereal diseases. Despite her hard work, many didn't believe she truly belonged in the profession, claiming "the negro woman has no place as a graduate nurse." When the Depression hit and people were laid off, Eunice Rivers lost her job, one of the reasons she quickly accepted the role with the Tuskegee experiment.
With all this background, and all her passion and care for patients, why did Eunice Rivers never challenge the Tuskegee study? Why didn't she fight back for all the African Americans affected, but rather took part?
Rivers is cited as one of the main authors on the reports published from the Tuskegee study. People have tried to years to plead her innocence because she was unaware. However, these reports as well as other written pieces of evidence prove others; she knew exactly what was going on with the participants as well as the point of the experiment. Was she afraid to fight back to authority? Women at the time were placed in a role of inferiority, and she would have been fired or punished if she chose to speak against the white authorities of the study. Her number one response is that her role was to care for the patients, and she did that to the highest extent. She was told by doctors in the experiment that she was almost too sympathetic for the patients, too caring. She had the best connections with every participant and their family. She went to every funeral, stating "I was expected to be there...they were part of my family." She never had a doubt that she was doing the best she could for those around her, and they all felt that she was the best thing that happened to them.
On the flip side, others claim she didn't fight back because she was very lucky (and proud) to have achieved such a high position in the science world. She found the study to be of very high scientific merit, claiming that it was just like studying white men for syphilis. Rivers felt they would be comparing the two and finding the difference. Here, it's hard to tell whether Rivers was blinded by the racism that surrounded her or by the position and authority she was given. Eunice fell into the structure of the South; she allowed the blacks to be treated like guinea pigs because she didn't know any better. Even though they weren't getting the best treatment in the form of medications, they were getting so much more. Blacks in Alabama, especially Macon County, had never gotten this much attention from the white community. They were given care, attention, food and compensations. For Rivers, this made it okay for them to be participants. This shows just how blinded she was by the racism around her. Even though they were withholding treatment, they were giving more than they had ever given before. And because of that, Rivers felt the experiment was worth while, benefits outweighing risks.
On the flip side, others claim she didn't fight back because she was very lucky (and proud) to have achieved such a high position in the science world. She found the study to be of very high scientific merit, claiming that it was just like studying white men for syphilis. Rivers felt they would be comparing the two and finding the difference. Here, it's hard to tell whether Rivers was blinded by the racism that surrounded her or by the position and authority she was given. Eunice fell into the structure of the South; she allowed the blacks to be treated like guinea pigs because she didn't know any better. Even though they weren't getting the best treatment in the form of medications, they were getting so much more. Blacks in Alabama, especially Macon County, had never gotten this much attention from the white community. They were given care, attention, food and compensations. For Rivers, this made it okay for them to be participants. This shows just how blinded she was by the racism around her. Even though they were withholding treatment, they were giving more than they had ever given before. And because of that, Rivers felt the experiment was worth while, benefits outweighing risks.
Learning about her training, and her true passion to help those around her, it is truly upsetting to read more and more about Eunice Rivers participation in the experiment. While I know she was fully aware, I think she was affected by the racism that surrounded her on every side. She was given a high status position that paid very well, something rare to the African American community, especially for a woman. While she partly doesn't want to feel guilty or admit to her full participation, Rivers fully believed that blacks were getting attention and treated better than ever before. This is a true testament to how much racism played into the experiment and the time period. She had no knowledge that no treatment was completely unethical, even if African Americans were given attention and money for the time. I honestly feel bad for Rivers; I wish she had had more agency, or was given the chance to apply more agency, which she would have been able to do today.
For References:
http://voicesinbioethics.org/2013/10/14/revisiting-nurse-rivers/
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_womens_history/v008/8.1.smith.pdf
For References:
http://voicesinbioethics.org/2013/10/14/revisiting-nurse-rivers/
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/journal_of_womens_history/v008/8.1.smith.pdf