Californian Admits Using Orphans In Stuttering Experiment

Some Still Suffer Effects

MORAGA, Calif., 2:09 p.m. EDT June 11, 2001 --

An elderly California woman says she regrets the Depression-era experiments she conducted on orphans to teach them to stutter.

One former subject now lives in seclusion, unable to communicate because of the therapies that ultimately backed up current theories about stuttering.

Experiments conducted at an Iowa orphanage involved two groups -- one was encouraged in their speech efforts, the other was badgered about speech patterns. Members of that group, as expected, developed speech problems.

It reinforces current beliefs that stuttering is best handled through positive reinforcement.

Mary Tudor's former subjects were interviewed by the San Jose Mercury News. One woman wrote that the experiments made her stutter so badly that she can no longer go out. She called Tudor a "monster."

Tudor says she was just following orders from her professor.

Link to complete story series:

http://www0.mercurycenter.com/special/experiment/experiment.htm

-- PHO (owennos@bigfoot.com), June 11, 2001

Answers

Mary Tudor is demented and sick, along with this pathetic Professor Johnson. I hope they get what they have coming to them for this behavior!!!!!!!

-- madtoo (sick@heart.now), June 12, 2001.