(Re-sent with edited paragraphs) Between 1949 and 1969, the US Army secretly conducted 239 open-air biological agent tests, including using suitcase-mounted blowers to spray bacteria on unsuspecting travelers at Washington National Airport in 1964. These experiments were designed to measure vulnerability to biological attacks, using bacteria like Bacillus subtilis and Serratia marcescens, which were then believed to be harmless.
The Suitcase Aerosol Tests (1960s)
The Method: Army agents disguised in civilian clothing carried specially built suitcases containing aerosol blowers to disperse bacteria in public areas.
Locations: These tests were conducted at airports (such as Washington National Airport) and other transportation hubs to simulate how germs would spread in crowded areas.
Bacteria Used: The agents often used Bacillus subtilis (often termed Bacillus globigii), which can cause food poisoning or infection.
Purpose: The tests sought to measure how easily an enemy could spread disease in the US without being detected.
Context and Consequences
Operation Sea-Spray (1950): The most famous test involved a Navy ship spraying Serratia marcescens and Bacillus globigii over San Francisco, coating the entire city of 800,000 residents.
Health Impacts: While the Army believed the bacteria were safe, the 1950 San Francisco test was linked to a severe pneumonia outbreak at a local hospital, which resulted in at least one death (Edward Nevin).
Public Exposure: The Army revealed these tests during 1977 Senate subcommittee hearings. The tests have since been criticized as a significant breach of the Nuremberg Code, which mandates informed consent for human experimentation.
Public Transportation Tests: In addition to suitcases, bacteria were also released in the New York City subway system by dropping lightbulbs filled with bacteria onto the tracks.These tests were part of a massive, secret Cold War effort by the US military to evaluate the nation's vulnerability to biological warfare.
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