Theories and allegations Neel first found the inheritance of sickle cell anemia through its genetic basis. This was the first step to learning all of what we know genetically about sickle cell disease. He found that the sickle cell trait itself was heterozygous and the disease was expressed when the gene was recessive homozygous. This was very difficult to figure out at the time with the current knowledge and while he did not find the relationship between malaria and sickle cell himself his work did provide the foundation for it being discovered. Neel developed the "
thrifty gene hypothesis" that
paleolithic humans, facing long periods of hunger punctuated by brief periods of food surplus, would have adapted genetically by processing fats and
carbohydrates more efficiently during feast periods, to be physiologically resilient during periods of famine. Neel believed that this genetic adaptation might have created a predisposition to
type 2 diabetes mellitus. This theory was later discredited by research conducted by Neel himself. He alleged many of things, among which were that he studied the genome of the Yanomami to compare with mutations among the survivors in the atomic bombing in Japan. To that, it was said that unethical practices were performed with the Yanomami population and that radioactive iodine injections were used to find leadership genes from the headmen of Yanomami. These allegations were later to be found without evidence from various examiners. Neel was especially focused on comprehending the
human genome in an
evolutionary light. This concept was addressed in his fieldwork, alongside
cultural anthropologist Napoleon Chagnon among the
Yanomamo and
Xavante in
Brazil and
Venezuela. His involvement in this fieldwork came under scrutiny in the
Darkness in El Dorado controversy, a scandal in anthropology that broke in 2000 after his death involving numerous allegations of unethical research that threatened serious damage to Neel's reputation. The accusation is that Neel deliberately injected South American natives with virulent
measles vaccine to spark off an epidemic that killed hundreds and probably thousands. However, these claims against him were never substantiated with any evidence, and it was found later that the
measles outbreak predated his arrival. Unfortunately, the media saw this as an opportunity for a big story and ran with it giving Neel's name a darkness associated with it. Even the original maker of the measles vaccine Dr.
Samuel L. Katz tried to shoot down the allegations claiming that they were in fact not true but was unsuccessful in saving his name before the media tarnished it. The majority of the allegations in
Darkness in El Dorado have since been found to have been fabricated by the author. Among majority allegations against Neel, there is a memo to the Neel family that was made in hopes to clear Neel of all allegations. This can be found here: https://dwhume.com/darkness-in-el-dorado-controversy/0167.htm Another link to how Neel conducted scientific collaboration in Latin America: https://www.scielo.br/j/gmb/a/MFFkDDXQ9B45Dd3pP4hjRtn/?lang=en Link to picture of Neel with Yanomamo men in South America: https://diglib.amphilsoc.org/islandora/object/graphics%3A1624 ==Organizations==