ISEN-ASTC-L Archives

Informal Science Education Network

ISEN-ASTC-L@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM
Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
[OT] The Science Behind the 1931 Movie Arrowsmith
From:
Wayne Watson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Informal Science Education Network <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 9 Aug 2007 08:00:40 -0700
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (43 lines) 
ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************

I happened upon Arrowsmith last night on TCM*. It's based on the 
Sinclair Lewis novel of the same name. Ronald Coleman portrays 
Arrowsmith who seems to have a strong hand in curing the bubonic plague. 
He is persuaded by his mentor to use the scientific approach in testing 
his serum--give one half the subjects his serum and the others a 
placebo. With the death of his wife in the midst of conducting his 
tests, he decides to give the serum to all the subjects. The results are 
favorable, but he regrets his betrayal of science.

My question is was this the first attempt to conduct such an experiment, 
or did it precede this attempt? Another way of asking this is, when did 
the advent of (statistical) experimental design occur in medicine?

* I did not watch the entire movie, so maybe the question I pose here 
was someway answered in the movie.

-- 
           Wayne Watson (Watson Adventures, Prop., Nevada City, CA)

             (121.015 Deg. W, 39.262 Deg. N) GMT-8 hr std. time)
              Obz Site:  39° 15' 7" N, 121° 2' 32" W, 2700 feet

             "What if we picked the wrong religion? Every week, 
              we're just making God madder." -- Homer Simpson

                    Web Page: <www.speckledwithstars.net/>

***********************************************************************
For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.

Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at www.exhibitfiles.org.

The ISEN-ASTC-L email list is powered by LISTSERVR software from L-Soft. To learn more, visit
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html.

To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message  SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]

ATOM RSS1 RSS2