Radio script for The Heroes of the Yellow Fever Experiments in Cuba in 1900, prepared and produced by Young and Rubicam, January 10, 1937 |
 |
Radio Script Spring 1937 - 1 - LORD.... In 1900 a Yellow Fever Commission composed of Dr. Walter Reed, Dr.
James Carroll, Dr. Aristides Agramonte and Dr. Jesse Lazear was sent
to Havana by Congress to try and conquer Yellow Fever but no one had
any idea how it spread. Havana was scrubbed clean, houses were burned,
villages were fumigated, fields were flooded but still this Yellow
Fever Murderer crept through walls -- along the ground -- through water.
Whole villages died of the plague -- not one left to tell the story.
Men and women and children by the thousands would turn yellow -- and die. The Yellow Fever Commission was working at Camp Quemadow under the
boiling sun -- among the dying. Dr. Reed was exhausted, broken by his
inability to curb this dread disease. At night he and the other
Doctors would sit in their tent hopeless -- not knowing what to do next. DR. CARROLL...... Dr. Reed -- I believe more and more it is the bite of a certain mosquito
which gives Yellow Fever. Dr. REED.... I do, too, gentlemen. DR. LAZEAR... Our problem is doubly hard, Dr. Reed -- because we cannot experiment on
animals. Animals don't get Yellow Fever. The only way would be to
experiment on a human person. DR. CARROLL.... But we can't do that. It would mean death to them. DR. REED.... Gentlemen -- men are dying every hour -- and we sit here helpless. We
believe it may be the mosquitoes which are carrying this Yellow Fever --
|
 |
- 2 -
but we cannot progress with our work until we are sure. You gentlemen,
can carry on this work without me. I insist I shall allow myself to
be bitten by mosquitoes which have bitten a Yellow Fever patient. ALL DOCTORS.... NO... WE CANNOT ALLOW YOU TO DO THAT, DR. REED. DR. REED. I must, gentlemen -- we must make sure it is the mosquito which carries
Yellow Fever. I shall allow myself to be bitten. (GENERAL NOS) DR. CARROLL.... That would be unfair to humanity, Dr. Reed -- you are needed to head
this Commission. Promise us you won't. DR. REED... I SHALL BE BITTEN. DR. CARROLL.... I command you not to, Dr. Reed. Remember we decided we would always abide
by the majority decision of this Commission. We command you not to
allow yourself to be bitten by the Yellow Fever mosquitoes. Do you
promise? DR. REED...(PAUSE) Yes -- if it's a command -- but thousands are dying -- Oh -- God --
help us. (SOBS) (FADE) LORD.... Just outside of that tent where the Yellow Fever Commission was having
that important Conference stood Private John R. Kissinger who was in
charge of the operating room. He could hear Dr. Reed broken-hearted
|
 |
- 3 -
sobbing inside. (PAUSE) (FOOTSTEPS) MORAN.... What's the matter, Kissinger? KISSINGER... Shush -- Dr. Reed is in that tent with his head down on the table sobbing
because the other doctors won't allow him to be bitten by the Yellow
Fever Mosquitoes. Listen.... (PAUSE) (STEPS ON GRAVEL) MORAN... Wait a minute -- where you going, Kissinger? KISSINGER.... I'm going in to Dr. Reed -- and offer to allow the mosquitoes to bite
me -- Then they can experiment on me. MORAN... You'll die -- it's the Yellow Fever... KISSINGER.... I'm a soldier -- I'm supposed to go out and kill other men. I'd
a lot rather give my life so other men can live. MORAN... All right, Kissinger -- I'll go in and do it with you. KISSINGER... You want to? MORAN... Yes. KISSINGER.. Here's my hand, Moran. (PAUSE) Let's go. (STEPS INSIDE) |
 |
- 4 - KISSINGER... Dr. Reed -- Dr. Reed ---sir-- DR. REED... What -- oh yes -- yes -- never mind what it is -- I --
can't think now. KISSINGER... Doctor -- Moran and I want to be bitten by the Yellow Jack
mosquitoes. (PAUSE) DR. REED.... What! You're offering yourselves as an experiment? BOTH.... Yes sir. DR. LAZEAR.... Do you men realize it will probably mean your death? BOTH.... Yes sir... DR. REED... Gentlemen -- there's nothing I can say. Of course, you understand
you will be handsomely rewarded by the Government -- if you recover. |
 |
- 5 - KISSINGER... The only conditions under which we offer ourselves, sir, is that we
receive no renumeration of any kind. DR. REED... (PAUSE) Gentlemen -- I salute you. LORD... Private Kissinger and Moran were taken to an isolated camp where there
was no chance of their getting Yellow Fever in any other way except from
mosquitoes. Kissinger was in a tent--his arm was exposed--- DR. REED... Kissinger -- Dr. Lazear of our Commission has just died of Yellow Fever.
I believe it was because he was bitten by one of these mosquitoes. These
mosquitoes which I have here have bitten a man dying of yellow fever. If
I allow them to bite you -- I believe you will contract it. Do you wish
to reconsider your decision? KISSINGER... No, Dr. Reed. DR. REED... Then, I shall allow them to bite you--hold your arm still--this way a
little--the mosquitoes are on it--there--- KISSINGER... Are they biting my arm--- DR. REED... Not yet--but-- yes--yes--one is--- and so's the other. The rest will
now-- you're a brave man, Kissinger. KISSINGER... I hope I get it-- If I get it-- it'll mean you're right, won't it, Doctor? DR. REED... Yes--if you get Yellow Fever from these mosquitoes, we will know we are right--
|
 |
- 6 -
and thousands of lives will be saved. LORD For the next few days Privates Kissinger and Moran did not get Yellow Fever
and it looked as though mosquitoes were not the carriers of this dread disease
and then on December 8th,---as they were walking about the camp they saw a
stray mongrel dog. (WALKING STEPS) MORAN.... See that funny looking dog, Kissinger? KISSINGER... Yes, he ought not be around this experimental camp. Let's chase him away. MORAN... Come on. (RUNNING) KISSINGER.... Oh-- Oh--- Moran -- hold me up--- MORAN.... What's the matter? KISSINGER.... My head -- I've gone dizzy-- oh-- I'm getting an awful chill--
(START TEETH CHATTERING) MORAN... You have a chill? Kissinger -- you're coming down with Yellow Jack-- KISSINGER... I'm glad -- then the Doctors are right -- it is the mosquito that carries
Yellow Fever. LORD... At four O'clock in the morning, Private Kissinger was sent to the hospital
with Yellow Fever -- the first man ever to have contracted it scientifically.
Mr. Kissinger hovered between life and death. |
 |
- 7 - LORD...(CONT) He went through the tortures of that terrible illness. His face
became jaundiced yellow-- his eyes discolored -- he shrank from
148 pounds to 116. Two weeks leter, he was up and around, but later on he lost the
use of his legs and became partially paralyzed for 12 years. Now,
there aren't enough Yellow Fever germs left in the whole world to
cover a ten cent piece -- a million lives have been saved because
of those heroic men and Mr. Kissinger's courage in offering his
life that others might live. I wish to present Mr. John R. Kissinger
of Huntington, Indiana, in person. KISSINGER... I appreciate this great honor. At first I didn't think I could
come because of my wife's illness, but she insisted and I have her
to thank. At the time of this Yellow Fever experiment, I had no fear--for
I felt then as I do now that my life was in the hands of God. I
accept this honor -- not for myself -- but for the men to whom
it really belongs. They are all dead. Dr. Lazear and Dr. Carroll
died of the very disease they tried so hard to conquer. I consented
to come and accept this honor in memory of those brave doctors. On behalf of a grateful world, I would like to use the very words
that Dr. Reed said to me himself -- only now I apply "Gentlemen ---
I salute you." (MUSIC) |
