The Dark History of Quaker Oats

Introduction

• Quaker Oats Origin: Launched in 1850, now a global company with $3.8 billion annual earnings.
• Controversial Past: Involved in unethical experiments with radioactive isotopes on children.

Early History

• Walter E. Fernald State School: Founded by Samuel Gridley Howe in 1848 as the Massachusetts School for Idiotic Children.
  • Focused on education and rehabilitation for intellectually disabled people.
  • Howe's Background:
    • Medical education completed at Harvard Medical College.
    • Director of the New England Institution for the Education of the Blind.
    • Activist for abolition of slavery.
  • Promoted education through patient and sympathetic teaching methods.

Walter E. Fernald's Tenure

• Beliefs in Eugenics: Fernald, the third superintendent, was a believer in eugenics.
  • Conducted sterilizations to prevent reproduction of the mentally disabled.
  • School renamed in Fernald's honor after his death in 1924.

Radioactive Experiments

• Partnerships and Experiments: Fernald School partnered with MIT and Quaker Oats.
  • Experiments involved feeding children oatmeal with radioactive isotopes.
  • Government approval via Atomic Energy Commission (AEC).

Atomic Energy Commission (AEC)

• Role and Controversies: AEC managed nuclear energy use and control.
  • Approved many unethical radiation experiments.
  • Secret experiments on thousands of U.S. citizens.

Quaker Oats and Industry Context

• Breakfast Industry: Post-WWII era saw rise in instant breakfasts.
  • Quaker Oats threatened by studies showing oatmeal interfered with iron absorption compared to Cream of Wheat.
• Experiments Purpose: To prove Quaker Oats was as healthy as Cream of Wheat.

Unethical Practices

• Experiment Details: Children at Fernald School given radioactive oats and milk.
  • Aimed to understand chemical reactions in the body.
  • Results used for Quaker's commercial advantage.

Public Revelation and Aftermath

• Declassification and Investigation: In 1993, documents declassified revealing experiments.
  • Boston Globe exposed the experiments.
  • Senate investigations in 1994.
• Lawsuit and Settlement: $60 million lawsuit led to $1.85 million settlement in 1998.
  • President Clinton issued an apology.

Ethical Violations

• Violation of Ethics: Experiments lacked consent and targeted vulnerable children.
  • Contravened medical ethics and civil rights.

Conclusion

• Current Status: Quaker Oats continues to operate, earning billions.
• Historical Reflection: Highlights need for ethical oversight in medical and corporate practices.