The cluster that never was: germ warfare experiments and health authority reality in Dorset

In 1997 intense media coverage raised public concerns about germ warfare si mulation experiments conducted by the Ministry of Defence during the 1960s, which included the release of bacteria over Dorset. Families in East Lulwo rth, Dorset, have linked this with allegedly high rates of miscarriages, st ill-births, congenital malformations, learning and other neurodevelopmental disabilities in their village. The response of the Dorset Health Authority (DHA) included the examination of background information from the Ministry of Defence, national data on congenital malformations in Dorset, health in formation collected by campaigners and a systematic health survey conducted by the DHA among former and current residents of East Lulworth. The invest igation did not confirm the presence of a cluster. It is debatable whether the DHA should have proceeded with their survey when none of the other more immediately available results indicated the presence of a cluster.