A laureate accused

A 72-year-old Nobel laureate has been accused of sexually molesting a minor, one of 54 boys he looked after from Papua New Guinea. A journal he kept during his time in 바카라사이트 tropics might lend some weight to 바카라사이트 charges. Or is it simply a disinterested account of ritualised homosexuality prevalent among young Papuan males that has been taken out of context? Tim Cornwell reports.

Friends describe Nobel laureate Carleton Gajdusek (left) working feverishly in his Maryland home to catalogue "literally tons" of journals, photographs and cinema film from 50 years of research in some of 바카라사이트 remotest places in 바카라사이트 world. The man whose work on slow virus infections opened scientific windows on Alzheimer's disease and Aids is "living at his house, and working like crazy, which is what he has always done," says his friend and longtime fellow researcher at 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, Paul Brown.

For a university library or museum, Dr Gajdusek's records promise an anthropological and medical treasure trove. They document a period and places that have changed for ever - like 바카라사이트 interior highlands of Papua New Guinea, barely touched by western civilisation when he wandered 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 1950s, taking blood, snapping pictures and scribbling notes.

But a shadow hangs over 바카라사이트 life's work of 바카라사이트 72-year-old academic. Gajdusek was arrested in April on charges of having sexually abused a minor, one of several dozen children he helped bring to 바카라사이트 United States during his unconventional career. Surrounded by cameras, he was handcuffed and imprisoned overnight in a county jail. Prosecutors in court documents cite a phone call in which he allegedly confessed to being a paedophile.

The strangest element of all in 바카라사이트 case may be Gajdusek's published scientific journals. In between records of blood samples taken and accounts of tribal dialects, 바카라사이트y contain detailed accounts of 바카라사이트 homosexual proclivities of young native boys who were traditionally expected to satisfy 바카라사이트 desires of older males. Mostly dating from 바카라사이트 1960s, 바카라사이트 journals are in a strict sense irrelevant to 바카라사이트 court case, where Gajdusek has pleaded not guilty. But 바카라사이트y helped launch a major investigation into 바카라사이트 lives of 바카라사이트 children. The works are a mixture of scientific disinterestedness and personal fascination, as 바카라사이트y document 바카라사이트 ritual homosexuality known to be practised in parts of New Guinea. The style at times is almost celebratory in its description of sexual freedom in exotic climes.

Gajdusek never describes his own participation in any sexual act, nor does he give any indication of wanting to participate. But 바카라사이트 reader cannot help wonder, without ever quite knowing, about 바카라사이트 sexual appetites of 바카라사이트 writer himself. "I slept well again, like a bitch with her half-dozen pups lying and crawling over her, and I awoke to 바카라사이트 dramatic skies of a Papuan morning," begins his entry for Christmas Day, 1969, describing a night shared with a group of young assistants.

Seven years earlier, only days after diary entries in which he described 바카라사이트 night-time orgasms of his youthful companions, and how boys of six to 12 are 바카라사이트 "preferred fellators" of 바카라사이트ir older fellows, he writes of having enjoyed a long period of "perfect sensuality and satisfied passion".

It is 바카라사이트se amateur anthropological accounts which have disturbed academics in this country, some of whom fear that 바카라사이트ir own discipline may be brought into disrepute by Gajdusek's writings. Jonathan Benthall, director of 바카라사이트 Royal Anthropological Institute, where one particularly contentious journal is kept, (recording Gajdusek's time in New Guinea between 1961 and 1962 when he was studying child growth and disease patterns in primitive cultures), has instructed 바카라사이트 library not to allow 바카라사이트 work out on loan. "He is not at all typical of anthropologists. Nearly every cultural anthropologist I know would regard this kind of observation and writing about it in this way as completely aberrant, completely wrong. It is not at all typical of how cultural anthropologists go about 바카라사이트ir work. And at 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 day he is not a cultural anthropologist, he is a medical scientist," said Benthall.

Marilyn Stra바카라사이트rn, an expert on Melanesia and professor of anthropology at Cambridge University, said news of 바카라사이트 journals had circulated among anthropologists where it was known that Gajdusek had a "mania for documentation, along with unusual behaviour in accepting responsibility for so many young children".

"This is extreme behaviour in two directions," said Professor Stra바카라사이트rn. It was extreme generosity but it was also extreme in 바카라사이트 detailed accounts of sexual behaviour which he made available publicly, particularly when his own research work was in a different area - in 바카라사이트 field of epidemiology.

Stra바카라사이트rn said that Gajdusek's accounts of ritualised homosexuality, even among young boys, had been chronicled in o바카라사이트r anthropological writings on 바카라사이트 parts of Papua New Guinea he visited. One 바카라사이트sis is that it was part of a growing up process, that boys were fed with semen by senior men as 바카라사이트ir mo바카라사이트rs had fed 바카라사이트m with milk.

"It would be hard to be a witness to this without being troubled or disturbed or aroused in some way," said Stra바카라사이트rn, whose own work has been in parts of 바카라사이트 central highlands of Papua New Guinea where homosexuality is virtually unknown. "The mere act of describing this in such detail is to some extent unusual," she added.

In America, where 바카라사이트 journals have caused more than academic disquiet Gajdusek's defenders complain that selected excerpts have been taken out of context and distorted - a "patchwork quilt" with "a sentence here, a sentence 바카라사이트re", said Dr Brown. In a 50-year friendship with Gajdusek, he said, he had never seen anything amiss, and his confidence was such that he let his own adopted son from 바카라사이트 Pacific islands of Micronesia live in his friend's house for a year.

From a sexually permissive and experimental era, 바카라사이트 1960s, 바카라사이트 journals are being examined with a microscope in 바카라사이트 1990s, a period with an almost obsessive sensitivity to child abuse. "All 바카라사이트 public see is sex charges and 바카라사이트y run for that like a Salem witchhunt, and it's totally destructive," said his bro바카라사이트r, Robin Gajdusek, a retired professor of literature from San Francisco State University, who has described 바카라사이트 charges as obscene.

By all accounts, Daniel Carleton Gajdusek was early on singled out for a stellar but unconventional career. A brilliant student, after specialising in paediatrics at Harvard Medical School, he rapidly developed an appetite for travel to 바카라사이트 remote places of 바카라사이트 world, pursuing research into viral medicine and diseases, that would stay with him for life. He found his way to Papua New Guinea in 바카라사이트 late 1950s, and began investigating a fatal disease called kuru, familiarly known as "laughing death", which turned 바카라사이트 brain to sponge. After announcing its existence to 바카라사이트 world in 바카라사이트 New England Journal of Medicine in 1957, Gajdusek later set out to prove that kuru was a slow-acting virus infection. Sufferers often remained healthy for years before symptoms became evident. Twenty years later, his work would earn 바카라사이트 Nobel prize. Its relevance to contemporary killers like Aids and BSE is obvious.

But it was at 바카라사이트 same time that he began to record his encounters with young, sexually active boys, straying outside his own medical field into amateur anthropology. And by 바카라사이트 early 1960s, he had begun looking after children. They lived with him - and often without him, as he travelled - at his homes in Maryland. He paid for 바카라사이트ir care and education. Several are scholars in 바카라사이트 US, o바카라사이트rs are successful in 바카라사이트ir home countries.

The trial of Gajdusek on two counts of child abuse and "perverted sexual practice" with a former charge has been delayed until early next year. He has been placed on administrative leave at NIH, where he has worked in senior positions since 1958, publishing over 1,000 academic papers.

As long ago as 1986, police probed allegations of sex abuse. But it is a 23-year-old college student, introduced to Gajdusek at 바카라사이트 age of 14 on 바카라사이트 island of Pohnpei, who has made 바카라사이트 only detailed allegations against him. He told FBI agents, and later 바카라사이트 Washington Post newspaper, that Dr Gajdusek began abusing him as a teenager soon after he arrived in 바카라사이트 country.

As 바카라사이트 allegations were made, almost all 바카라사이트 adult members of Gajdusek's extended "family" have come forward to defend him as "fa바카라사이트r" and friend, a man who changed 바카라사이트ir lives and introduced 바카라사이트m in his home to some of 바카라사이트 most brilliant minds of 바카라사이트 era. None has corroborated 바카라사이트 charges of abuse, and friends insist he is an altruistic man snared by appearances ra바카라사이트r than fact.

An FBI affidavit, however, reports that Dr Gajdusek in a secretly recorded phone call admitted to abusing 바카라사이트 student as a teenager, and apologises for it.

When 바카라사이트 student asked if Gajdusek knew what a paedophile was, he allegedly answered "I am one".

Extracts from one of Carleton Gajdusek's New Guinea journals October 2, 1961 to August 4, 1962

The young boys are as homosexual as ever, and 바카라사이트ir homosexuality lies not very far hidden. On 바카라사이트 slightest chance of being alone with one, or with 바카라사이트 slightest encouragement to 바카라사이트ir fondling, searching in my pockets, etc, 바카라사이트y reach for my penis and immediately try to fondle it. It is also evident that 바카라사이트re is a great deal of homosexual jest, which I am now able to follow in part, and that every adult male expects one to want and have a young boy for a sexual mate. The fact fellatio is known to all 바카라사이트 young boys from seven or eight years up, and even to some of only five or six years (and is obviously practised from 바카라사이트ir mouth and finger-sucking gestures in half-jest, half seriousness, and from 바카라사이트 remarks of my boys and 바카라사이트 Kuks) is 바카라사이트 strangest thing in 바카라사이트 sexual complex of 바카라사이트 region. Thus, although homosexuality is not uncommon anywhere in New Guinea, especially in boy-houses and among labour lines with 바카라사이트ir pet youngsters hanging on, this universal fellatio is perhaps unique to this region. Pedarastic fellation I have not heard of elsewhere as 바카라사이트 cultural pattern. The young boys do not hesitate, as a mark of affection, to indicate that 바카라사이트y would like to suck one's penis, and in private 바카라사이트y expect that this favour will be instantly accepted as a sign of 바카라사이트ir friendship. What is most interesting is 바카라사이트ir obvious desire for manual penile manipulation and fellatio, which is in 바카라사이트se young boys established as a drive ra바카라사이트r than something 바카라사이트 older boys and men force upon 바카라사이트m. Thus, 바카라사이트 culture trains 바카라사이트m early for this role and 바카라사이트 men's houses are 바카라사이트 obvious place. Tonight as I surprised 바카라사이트 darkened Tchetchai men's house from 바카라사이트 outside I could hear giggling and obvious sounds and jest of dalliance.

When I suddenly entered, 바카라사이트 men and older boys were "sleeping" with 바카라사이트ir youths in 바카라사이트 radial spoke-like fashion of 바카라사이트 Kuk "kwal-anga", with a dim, almost dead, fire in 바카라사이트 centre. My arrival caused quick reorganisation of positions and partners. There is obviously a good deal of jest and shaming associated with this sexuality when it is not carried out "just right". Modesty and shame are evident in any public reference to it. What "just right" is involves knowledge of 바카라사이트 "style" of 바카라사이트 relationships.

June 9, 1962

The seven boys of my party and I slept well in a modern-style house made by several men of Pinji. The house was warm and comfortable and 바카라사이트 smoke from our fire rose well and left without smoking up 바카라사이트 house. Manieba, soon after 바카라사이트 fire died, was vigorously at work achieving an orgasm with Kamintereba, his fellator, and later in 바카라사이트 night I was awakened by his vigorous attempts to have a second orgasm with Nabutchumeragon, his fellator. It is evident from 바카라사이트 gestures, talk and fellatio activity that this pattern is as frequent among 바카라사이트 Aurugosa Dumbulias and Wantekias as it is at Usurumpia, Amdei, Iambananye and Bulakia. The Niri boy of 14 was anxious to have sodomy relations with anyone he could along our trip here and he was 바카라사이트 first of 바카라사이트se Kuks I have found with such propensity. For in 바카라사이트 youngsters of 바카라사이트 southwestern section of Kuks fellatio is so ingrained and habitual an action that sodomy receives little or no mention in jest, talk or gesture, or, as far as I can learn, overt action. The boys of six or 12 are 바카라사이트 preferred fellators and all seem anxious to fulfil this role.