h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"But, if an extra testicle made someone run faster......"

It is a proven fact....just take a look at the athletic world records set by East German female athletes in the sixties and seventies.

It reminds me of that piece of graffiti

" should be bluddy well hung"

and underneath someone had written ....

"He is - signed "

Did the extra testicles come from executed criminals?

Within the walls of San Quentin, yes.

>I imagine that these experiments were done in the hope that "enhancements" could be offered to those injured in the war.<

Well, we're still decades away from any kind of life-saving transplant surgery - I think it's more instructive if you think of the psychological impact of war.


>But, if an extra testicle made someone run faster it surely would have led to further experiments with "performance enhancing" substances and steroids.<

Well you've hit upon two separate things there Mr Feisor,

Did it in fact work?

and

Why would it make them run faster?

>Was the convicted man well hung?<

I'm not going to dignify that with comment.

To escape another operation?

Wasn't there a Russian doctor in the 1920s who made money from implanting slices of "monkey glands" into aging men? Though I think it was mainly psychological boosts.

Was the increased speed due to extra testosterone?

Though people have been using animal testicles (ground, roasted etc) as medicinal aids since the Middle Ages at least.

>Wasn't there a Russian doctor in the 1920s<

Yes there was. DGI +1

I was hoping someone was going to mention him. But he lived and worked in Paris.

>Was the increased speed due to extra testosterone?<

No.

>people have been using animal testicles (ground, roasted etc) as medicinal aids since the Middle Ages at least.<

Indeed they have DGI +1

I have a source here that pus it as far back as The Roman Empire.

About the Russian doctor, incidentally - if you want to talk about him - I can insert an adjunct to the main question*

He tried to visit The UK arriving in London May 20 1928, but he was denied a licence to practice (The then Home Secretary gave exchanges in parliament to explain his reasoning to concerned MPs).

However he had been (successfully) lobbied by a coalition consisting of principally three self-interested groups.

Can you name them and say what so concerned them?




-------------

The remaining issues I think should help resolve this as regards San Quentin are stated here:

* <./>FFM7180006?thread=7303514&skip=145&show=1</.>

..and this place has been silent most today so I got my chemistry coursework finished. Damn you all!

I had to stop thinking about it, it kept bringing tears to my eyes.

And I've been ridiculously busy all day, and am now about to go out for the evening - 38 post backlog and no time to read it...

I was only kidding.

It'll still be here waiting. (probably) I just wanted to nudge it to the top of the pile.

I'll add another nudge as I head off into the murky light of an early morning coastal storm.
Could we have a summation of where we are Clive?
Hopefully it will be too wet for work today and I can spend some time thinking on this

Sure.

be a few minutes....

Have also read your thoughts on the other matter as well and will study that too

Question:

What was quite unusual (and therefore Quite Interesting) about the 50 yard dash at the 1923 annual Thanksgiving Track and Field Tournament at San Quentin Maximum Security Prison?


Correct Answers:
--------------

Experiments on prisoners

transplants.

testicle transplants

John Pearson had three testicles.

They were transplanting monkey nut into men

Goats.

Executed Prisoners were donors.


DGIs
------------

The legacy of war

"The Nineteen twenties was the decade of"

"A cure"

Eugenics.

There was a Russian Doctor....

QIs

None so far....




Hints:

Just prisoners (involved in the race at San Quentin), The Great and the good of Europe were queueing up for this on the outside.

2nd palce winner was John Pearson and there was something distinctly odd about him.

There is a link to silent movies....I'll give anyone +12 if they get it outright, and I'll not say another thing about it.

They weren't the mutts nuts, so whose were they?

Also outstanding: What else was unusual about John Pearson?

Why were they doing this?

and the link to silent films.

There is amazingly a link to The Vatican.

Think of the psychological impact of war.

Did it in fact work?

Why would it make them run faster?

Russian Doctor arrived in London May 20 1928, but was denied a licence to practice (The then Home Secretary gave exchanges in parliament to explain his reasoning to concerned MPs). However he had been (successfully) lobbied by a coalition consisting of principally three self-interested groups.

Can you name them and say what so concerned them?



Outstanding questions to puzzle over:
------------


What else was unusual about John Pearson?

Why were they doing this?

The link to silent films.

The link to The Vatican.


Extra question: Russian Doctor arrived in London May 20 1928, but was denied a licence to practice.

Which three groups lobbied against his being granted the licence and why?

Apropos our discussion Keith - note the balance of DGIs and hints to Correct Answers.

(I've not listed the klaxons)

And it's biology coursework today so please don't let me down!

> What else was unusual about John Pearson?<

Well he was an exceptionally long lived chap for a start as he wrote Ian Fleming's official biography many, many years later after this stint in chokey. I have his book in my library...

Different person I fear, but have a DGI for "exceptionally long lived."