Public Health Service Syphilis Study. 1934 first papers suggest health effects of untreated syphilis. In 1932 in macon county, alabama, the us public health service (usphs) started a study of 400 african american men with latent or late syphilis who had not been treated.

The mistrust did not come about because of the public health service syphilis study. Local physicians asked to assist with study and not to treat men. Doctors enticed the poor, mostly illiterate macon county.