Cornelius P. Rhoades
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Cornelius P. Rhoades was an American doctor and pathologist that became infamous for performing several objectionable experiments with human beings.
In 1931, sponsored by the Rockefeller Institute, Rhoades deliberately infected several Puerto Rican citizens with cancer cells. Thirteen of the passengers died. When asked about the reasons for the study on Puerto Ricans, Rhoades replied:
| “ | The Porto Ricans (sic) are the dirtiest, laziest, most degenerate and thievish race of men ever to inhabit this sphere... I have done my best to further the process of extermination by killing off eight and transplanting cancer into several more... All physicians take delight in the abuse and torture of the unfortunate subjects. | ” |
In 1932, Rhoades was exposed by Puerto Rican Nationalist leader, Pedro Albizu Campos. However, he was just transferred and placed in charge of two chemical warfare projects in the 1940s establishing U.S. Army Biological Warfare facilities in Maryland, Utah, and Panama.
Later, Rhoades was given a seat on the United States Atomic Energy Commission. It is reported he performed radiation experiments on human beings there. He was also awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit by the government for his research.
Many people still criticize the lack of action taken against Rhoades for his experiments.
[edit] Rhoades in popular culture
Puerto Rican political satire comedy group, Los Rayos Gamma, usually perform a parody of Rhoades with Jacobo Morales personifying Cornelio Rodas as an insane Frankenstein-like scientific bent on the elimination of Puerto Ricans. The character even has a hunchbacked side-kick personified by Sunshine Logroño.
