Jennet conant who was the granddaughter of administrative tractor the Manhattan Project and one of our nations leading scientists of the 20th century century pages the author of New York Times bestseller the regulars and tuxedo park a wall street tycoon and the secret palace of science that changed the course of world war ii. She will be speaking tonight about her new book the great secret the classified world war ii disaster that launched the war on cancer. Thank you for joining us jennet. Said thank you. I also want to thank you for inviting me to be with you tonight. Alas its virtually but im going to do my best. My first doom presentation so they are with me everyone. Ive had a lot of coffee and im thinking right now should have had a lot of wine but anyway here we go. Im going to start us off with a quote from winston churchill. He had a way with words. He once observed manic case only stumble across the truth but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened. Lieutenant colonel Stuart Francis alexander a remarkable hero of my book did not hurry off. In fact he refused to believe the scene of the military disaster even when churchill himself warned them to. He stayed and. Attention, he investigated and as a result he recognized the never before seen symptoms and a group of dying sailors that might have lifesaving implications for others in the future. This is a story of one intrepid army doctors alert mind and how it turned the chemical wallop weapons are poured into a stepping stone and a horrific world war ii tragedy into a medical triumph. Im going to take you back to the night of december 2, 1943. The old part port of bahrain was puzzling to the british had taken the capital in september and the front play 150 miles to the north with its massive cliffs cradling to see that escape the fighting almost unscathed. Only a few miles outside of town women and children were taking for black orchid food but in bari the shops were full of cakes of bread and rolls young couples strolled arm in arm like in the old days and Street Vendors were doing a brisk business. Bari was the critical mediterranean port and the allied forces majored state protected. It was flying both the american and British Eighth Army which comprised of the better part of 500,000 allied troops engaged in driving the germans out of italy. And if we can show that first slide of the baris waterfront. Liberating british tommys had chased the from the skies over italy in the british controlled the port and they were so confident they had won the air worth it marshals are Arthur Cunningham had announced he was all but immune from attack. I was regarded as a personal affront and insult if they should attempt any significant action in this area he announced earlier that day. The wartime port was teeming with activity. Four days earlier the american liberty ship pulled in with a convoy of dying merchant men 30 allied ships were cramming the harper pact against the seawall along the pier. Everything from food and medical gear to engines cargo for landing strips and tons of fuel oil. You could see on the upper decks were tanks armored personnel carriers jeeps ambulances everything. Bright lights and danced huge cranes hoisting equipment now. They were working aroundtheclock to unload the supplies for the next big push the advance on rome. Allied strategies hinged on making steady progress up the rugged mountain of peninsulas italy and culminating in amphibious attacks about are the two miles south of rome. All night long. It is 7 35 p. M. , a blinding flash was followed by a terrific thing. The ancient port single and liked craft battery then another and another is a german j you eight flew over the town dropping bombs. Smoke and flames rose from the city. The lead pathfinders, through window, new kind of jamming technique using filed strips designed to confuse la radars. As a result, they would shoot almost complete at a surprise. As a rain down in the harbor, interns night into day. The governors aboard the anchor ship scrambled, but it was too late. Theres virtually no opposition spreading the attack german planes holdout unchallenged by allies. Although it lasted less than 20 minutes from the results were devastating. A tremendous roar came from the harbor and exploding ammunition tankers said he is rolling massive flames thousand feet high. Reported the Time Magazine described a fiery panorama, eight ships were burning fiercely. The entire harbor was covered with burning oil. A ruptured fuel flying sent thousands of gallons gushing into the harbor where he ignited into a gigantic sheet of flames engulfing the entire north side of the court. With a prairie fire, the flames spread across the surface of the water, keeping from ship to ship in the crews worked frantically to save the vessels before the raging fires scorched or force them to jump and swim for safety. The cries of men yelling for help, the and echoed in the ruin harbor. The night raid, when the naval catastrophe of the war was heavily censored. The general eisenhower first communicated from air force headquarters. On a summer fourth, stated only pet damage was done. Adding insult to injury, the first real account of the air rain came from the germans, a propaganda broadcast on decemben spectacular success. In the crowded harbor was so poorly protected that the german bombers had been able to pick off the island ships exiting ducks. The sneak attack which the press dubbed the little pearl harbor shook the complacency of the allied forces. And the condensed to the air superiority in the area, all told the nothing sunk 17 allied ships and destroyed more than 31000 tons of vital cargo. More than 1000 american and british servicemen were killed outright. But almost as any wounded. An untold number of civilians. Rumors said that officials were covering up an embarrassing incident. There was a talk of a new german secretive weapon, a rocket on. Congressional concern of the debacle was underscored by eisenhowers announcement that he had asked the special Senate Subcommittee to investigate. Where admiral responsible for u. S. Merchant marine fleet across the seven seas, angrily told Time Magazine that you will have more about that rated before you hear less. But that was the last official word on the matter and the fiery incident made shrouded in mystery in the crucial days that followed, the task of treating the gravely injured sailors would be made even more difficult by wartime secrecy. And the determined efforts to the american and british governments to cover up the incidence so as not to endanger preparations for the most important operation of the war. The allied invasion of germany occupied france, plan for the spring. It would be almost 30 years before the world would learn the truth about what really took place on that fatal night. And even today, few are aware of the surprising consequences of the disaster and its impact on the lives of millions of americans. Lt. Col. Alexander was asleep in his headquarters. He was awake at the first jingle of the telephone. The summons came in the middle of the night. There appeared to be developing medical crisis in bari. Too any men were dying. Too quickly. Of unexplained causes. The symptoms were unlike anything the local military had seen before. They had began to suspect the germans and used an weapon, perhaps poison gas. With a number of deaths increasing rapidly with each day, the british place to rent call alerting air force headquarters, in algiers. It was urgent to press for assistance. Alexander was dispatched immediately to the scene of the disaster. He looked too young for combat person per he was hyphenated and skinny and only 29 years old and valentin the only air of authority he could claim. He was popular with the troops. In some patients kidded him that his gentle bedside manner, is best suited to a pediatrician. He was tougher than he looked. Been through the invasion of north africa under Major General george s thousand. Despite his quiet modesty, and his dimples, alexandra proven himself to be confident, determined and resourceful. It is. Is now he had a good head on his shoulders. He couldve set out the work and stateside hospital but the desire to serve randy and his family. He had descended from selfmade and aggressive and flood famine and persecution in europe for the United States in the 1880s. And were forever grateful for the opportunities afforded them in their new home. Alexanders father was popular Family Doctor in new jersey. It was his one ovation to follow in his fathers footsteps. It had excelled at military academy and entered a stand out at 15 and he was allowed to advance directly to medical school. And graduated the top of his class in 1935. Harrahs md at columbia. After completing his residency he went back home and he hung out a shingle next to his fathers full of pride. But in the spring of 1940, as hitler began pits march across your come alexander volunteered for duty. He felt strongly that this was a war in which he had to participate. He noted that he would be available at any time, he told the guy for that friday was called up in november and spent time with the 16th century regiment and Gun Powder Creek in maryland to. From Edgewood Arsenal. Its also happen to be home to the Chemical Warfare service. And before long, he decided to contact the Chemical Warfare service for the animated new design had come up with for spectacles that can fit inside of the face piece of a gas mask. He just happened that alexander suffered from extreme myopia. He was very nearsighted and actually flunked his first physical. When the army doctor went back to shuffle papers, he quickly memorized the first two lines of the eye chart and document to giving him the test again and passed. But he was. Fearful that if there was a gas attack during the war, would have to choose between wearing his glasses in the gas mask because the gas mak left over from previous work did not fit over his glasses that we came up with a new design. He was impressed his superiors with the Chemical Warfare service that they offered him a job. Transfer to arsenal, and with a crash course in gases. In the hurried pace of the war, he became a new expert in the field. He connected all kinds of experiments on animals to evaluate toxic agents and develop new forms of treatment and protective gear for soldiers. After pearl harbor, he started traveling around the country to the different Training Camps to determine medical personnel how to treat chemical casualties. He was promoted to director of the Chemical WarfareServices Medical research laboratory. And so in general eisenhower concerned about the heightened threat that hitler might launch a gas attack in europe, he would quest the doctor with the Chemical Warfare background of. And Young Alexander was sent to allied force headquarters in algeria. So now at 5 00 p. M. On december 7, 1943, 5 days after the attack on barry, the plane touched down on the battered airfield. Waiting for him for group of senior british doctors. Good see that they were immediately agitated and he was taken to the hospital at once he wrote in his diary. The situation was grim. All the equipment for five plan american field hospitals have been sunk in the air raid. Personally all the doctors were safe and they scrambled to open the 26 American General hospital the morning after the raid rowing benson bandages from the italians to help care for the scores of bombing victims. Think we have a picture of the hospital. Alexander knew the lack of medical supplies was going to compound the tragedy. The existing hospitals barry were written by the british prerace americo, the largest and 98 largest hospital, had been spared. But the place had taken a beating in the doors and the windows were shattered and ripped up. In the walls scattered the bricks like hail really concussion last night at the power so they were working by the flight. They were still sweeping up the glass from the first of the winded when they begin to arrive. Hundreds and hundreds of david and veteran sailors suffering from shock and burns find almost all of them are governance think black crude oil. He brought up the rear, carrying the most seriously injured. The sailors jumped from the blazing ships or song through fleming oil and were horribly burned. Death horn was set up in the mp back to room for those beyond help. In the basement, makeshift mortuary, local carpenter was knocking together offline conference as fast as he could. The town ran out of caskets and only the first few hours. With so any patients needing urgent attention, there was a time to get most of the women sailors out of the dirty and the nurses did with the god. The emerging cases, the seven boys when been fetched from the freezing waters receive standard emergency treatment of the time frame is shot, like is to keep them warm and strong hot sweet tea. And they were left to rest. If you complained of smarting eyes and stinging birds but that was attributed to the large fires in the fuel oil and they most just laid there quietly, where the cases would be given priority. The first unusual vindication the doctors all alexander was in casualties about to present typical symptoms or respondent in a manner. The main complaint that they were thirsty. Suddenly started ripping off their colas and bandages in a frenzy complaining that their skin was on fire. Overnight of the majority of these emerging cases, and develop threaded and inflamed skin and blisters as big as balloons. In this together with widespread nausea and vomiting, led the doctors to think this cost might be the poisonous fumes with fuel oil. Perhaps the explosives. About hours after the attack, patients began complaining of severe pain. By the end of the day, the wars were full of hundreds of men with their eyes swollen shut. As the staff deepen, headquarters and notification that there was a possibility of a blister gas exposure. But the information was bag and unconfirmed. Hundreds of burned patients with unusual symptoms were to be classified dermatitis ny d. Not yet diagnosed. Pending further instructions. Given the casualties the first night, and nonurgent cases who appeared to be in Good Conditions were sent away. Most of them were still in their uniforms. In the next morning they returned clearly needing treatments. There were in a horrible state. Made it worse was in so any of the boys were conscious throughout the ordeal. A young gunner aboard the american liberties ship could not understand why his vision was becoming blurrier with each passing hour. Thats when the rumors about that poison gas started to spread he recalled. He remembered feeling uneasy but an official looking group came to the hospital ward and confiscated all of the clothes. Shoes, belts, uniforms, everything. There is no explanation given. That created a panic among the patients he said. They feared their fates were sealed. The first unexplained death occurred in 18 hours after the attack. Within two days, there were 14. Alexander noted the downward spiral of the patients. The boys appear to be in rather Good Condition but in a matter of minutes appear to be dying. In british doctors were mystified. The symptoms did not fit any of those in the case histories of poisonous gas from world war i. They could find the similarities in the medical textbooks are the manuals. Issued by the Chemical Warfare service. In the toxic agent was mustard gas, so named because of it is on pleasant garlicky owner, than then the respiratory publications should been more prominent but they werent permitted as alexander locked the crowded board to examine the patients he gently would left blankets and would study to burns. But extraordinarily deli can see, he spoke with each man in turn asking how he had come by his injuries. Which ship was seen on. Did he receive any firstaid on the dock. What about when he got to the hospital. One sailor after another totally caught in the firestorm, of the pandemonium that followed of somehow making it to the hospital. There they had waited for as long as 12 and even 24 hours. In their wet uniforms before receiving treatment. Drying back the covers on one patient, alexander studied the birds in the otherwise healthy muscled body. The sailors and even aboard pt quote when the german bombers flew over and he heard a loud boom and he felt a spray of oily liquid land on his neck. A picture of this injury, is shown in alexanders report. Inside the outline of red raised skin trendy with ointment, as if the imprinted on the splash. The burns they sing another patients work very but already, he could distinguish between chemical burns and other burns, those caused by fire and heat. In certain patterns were present depending on how the individual had been exposed. It appeared alexander that the sailors had been thrown overboard and completely immersed in the harbor were burned extensively come over 90 percent of the bodys party compared to superficial birds. Wherever the toxic and hit them. Some men who had sat in the solution, like a lifeboat, and had only local birds of the buttocks and coins. A few lucky souls who wiped off the oily mixture of first night, howling minor injuries. As he made his rounds, it is increasingly clear the most of the patients had been exposed to a chemical agent. He had noticed something for the first moment he is jerk and entered the hospital. Some of their it just kept nagging away at him and he could pick it up at various places in various rooms. Anna stood out in unusual smells of urine and disinfectant and burns unconverted flesh. The other and implanted itself in his mind he wrote in his diary, was mustard gas. It had been five days since the initial exposure. And if there is any chance of saving the sailors lying in the beds, was that countless italians civilians he knew he needed to act very swiftly. They decided question hospitals director and but the question to him. He had his own suspicion so he asked my policeman may have been exposed to mustard in some manner col. Do you have any idea of this mightve happened. None came the directors reply. As a Chemical Warfare consultant to asq, alexander was cleared to the highest degree. He knew the allies had began secretly stockpiling poi