Thousands of children in Irish care homes at centre of 'baby graves scandal' were used in secret vaccine trials in the 1930s. Scientists secretly gave 2,051 children and babies diphtheria vaccineThey were used as guinea pigs for drugs giant Burroughs Wellcome in 1930sAcademic Michael Dwyer uncovered shock truth in old medical recordsHe found no evidence of consent, nor of how many died or were affectedComes as Irish PM intervenes from U.S. over scandal of mass baby graveHundreds of babies are believed to have been buried at former baby homeEnda Kenny says he's ordered his officials to examine 'if there are others' By Harriet Arkell and Neil Michael Published: 08:17 GMT, 6 June 2014 | Updated: 12:49 GMT, 6 June 2014 Scientists secretly vaccinated more than 2,000 children in religious-run homes in suspected illegal drug trials, it emerged today.
Old medical records show that 2,051 children and babies in Irish care homes were given a one-shot diphtheria vaccine for international drugs giant Burroughs Wellcome between 1930 and 1936. Homes where children were secretly tested included Bessborough, in Co. 'We can offer a better class of baby with a good background': The 1961 letter from nuns to adoptive parents. Nuns at Sean Ross Abbey, Co.
Tipperary sent letter to Mary Lawlor's parents before she was adopted in 1961Letter sheds light on attitudes towards children of poorer single mothers'They adopted me out with an instruction book,' says Ms Lawlor By Alison O'reilly Published: 02:55 GMT, 8 June 2014 | Updated: 08:36 GMT, 8 June 2014 One woman who knows the truth of how nuns in Ireland of the late 1950s handled the children entrusted to their care is Mary Lawlor, who was adopted out by the nuns at Sean Ross Abbey, Co. Tipperary. Letters she obtained from her adoptive parents detailing how she was given to them also sheds light on the nuns' attitudes towards children of poorer single mothers.
The nuns cautioned the prospective parents not to pick a child of the ‘wrong class’, and to take a young child as ‘the better class girl has to leave here quickly so as not to be detected in her sorrow’. How I helped Philomena track down her son sold by cruel nuns: It's the film about a toddler torn from his mother that is reducing grown men to tears... but the REAL story will haunt you forever. Philomena Lee fell pregnant as a teenager and was sent to a conventHer son was taken from her by the nuns and adopted by a US familyJournalist Martin Sixsmith helped her track him down fifty years later By Martin Sixsmith Published: 22:00 GMT, 9 November 2013 | Updated: 22:11 GMT, 9 November 2013 Her story: Philomena Lee's search fro her son became the subject of journalist Martin Sixsmith's book I first heard of Philomena Lee at a New Year’s party in 2004, when her daughter Jane approached me to ask for help.
She told me her mother had just revealed a shocking secret – that she, Jane, had a long-lost brother. Could I, a former journalist, find out more? Philomena had fallen pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952 when such things were considered shameful and had been sent to Sean Ross Abbey, a convent in Roscrea, County Tipperary, to give birth as a ‘fallen woman’. She was forced to spend three years in the convent, slaving in the laundries while also caring for her son, Anthony. Ireland says sorry to the 10,000 'women slaves' of its Catholic workhouses who were locked up and brutalised by nuns. 10,000 young Irish girls were sent to the laundries between 1922 and 1996Taoiseach Enda Kenny expresses sympathy for survivors and their families Survivors reject apology and demand full admission from state and churchIt follows a 10 year campaign for an apology and compensation scheme By Keith Gladdis Published: 18:13 GMT, 5 February 2013 | Updated: 13:52 GMT, 6 February 2013 Women who had their childhoods ‘stolen away’, locked up in Catholic-run workhouses received a qualified apology from the Irish government yesterday.
Over a period of 70 years, an estimated 10,000 were sent to the ‘Magdalene laundries’ to carry out unpaid manual labour under the supervision of nuns. Some were sent because they were the children of unmarried mothers, others for crimes as minor as not paying a train ticket. Scroll down for video.