Medical Racism in Puerto Rico

Dr. Cornelius P. Rhoads was a famous oncologist for impacting chemotherapy and anemia research. Dr. Rhoads was so well-regarded that an annual award was endowed in his name to support young researchers pursuing cancer treatments. However, due to racism towards Puerto Ricans, Dr. Rhoads fled from his research career.

In the 1930s, Dr. Rhoads was conducting research in Puerto Rico to investigate particular types of anemia as a member of the Rockefeller Anemia Commission. Displeased with his current situation, Dr. Rhoads became intoxicated at a party. Upon realizing his car had been vandalized, he wrote an angry letter to a fellow cancer researcher in New York. As he expressed frustration, Dr. Rhoads revealed his disgust towards Puerto Ricans, describing Puerto Ricans as "the dirtiest, laziest, most degenerate and thievish race of men ever inhabiting this sphere" (Inglis-Arkel, 2014).

Due to racist and derogatory beliefs that Puerto Ricans were undeserving, lesser individuals, Dr. Rhoads confessed to killing 8 Puerto Ricans through medical experimentation and purposefully injecting several Puerto Ricans with cancer — all as a means of purposeful extermination of the Puerto Rican population. The next day, a colleague found Dr. Rhoads' confession on his desk. The letter went public, with the Puerto Rican Medical Association, the governor of Puerto Rico, and the Rockefeller Foundation holding investigations. Dr. Rhoads had already fled to New York by that time. Despite the innocent Puerto Ricans harmed by Dr. Rhoads, he faced little reprimanding. Instead, Dr. Rhoads became the first director of Sloan-Kettering Institute.

​

References

​

Aponte, P. I. (2005). The unsolved case of Dr. Cornelius P. Rhoads : an indictment. Publicaciones René. (Original work published 2023)

​

Berkowitz, B. (2021, July 4). America’s Hidden History: U.S. Doctor’s Experiments on Puerto Ricans in 1930’s Went Unpunished. Daily Kos; Daily Kos. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2021/7/4/2038332/-America-s-Hidden-History-U-S-Doctor-s-Experiments-on-Puerto-Ricans-in-1930-s-Went-Unpunished

​

Inglis-Arkell, E. (2014). The horrifying letter in which a scientist “confessed” to murder. Gizmodo; Gizmodo. https://gizmodo.com/the-horrifying-letter-in-which-a-scientist-confessed-1507897479

​

Jokl, O. T. / C. P. R. / E. (2023). People - Cornelius P. Rhoads | WNYC | New York Public Radio, Podcasts, Live Streaming Radio, News. WNYC; WNYC. https://www.wnyc.org/people/cornelius-rhoads/

​

Rosenthal, E. T. (2003). The Rhoads Not Given. Oncology Times, 25(17), 19–20. Oncology Times. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.cot.0000290560.69715.bf

​

Wald, P., Tomes, N., & Lynch, L. (2002). Introduction: Contagion and Culture. American

​

Literary History, 14(4), 617–624. https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/8/article/1995/summary