Darkness in El Dorado: human genetics on trial

A recent book by a freelance journalist makes major accusations against gen etic studies by J. V. Neel in the Amazon a generation ago. Contrary to thes e charges, there was no connection of Neel's work with human experiments co nducted by the Rochester Manhattan Project twenty years earlier, nor did th e studies serve as a control for survivors of the atomic bombs in Japan. Ne el was not a eugenicist. His program of measles vaccination reduced mortali ty, and was not in any, sense an experiment. Given the passage of time and lack of supporting evidence, further investigation of these charges is poin tless. However, the political climate in which human populations are studie d has changed dramatically over the last generation. Unless guidelines refl ect an international consensus, the benefits of population studies to human welfare and science will be jeopardized. The World Health Organization gui delines should be extended to cover current research.