Gua and Donald were
raised as siblings
The pair had a strong bond, but the experiment ended in
tragedy
In the 1930s, a shocking experiment took place where a human
baby was raised alongside a chimpanzee to study how environment affects
behaviour. Psychologists Winthrop Niles Kellogg and his wife Luella decided to
raise their 10-month-old son, Donald, as if he were siblings with a chimp named
Gua, who was seven-and-a-half months old.
The idea behind the experiment was to see if Gua could learn
human behaviours or if Donald would start acting like a chimp. For nine months,
the two were treated the same way. They wore baby clothes, ate together in high
chairs, and were tucked into bed with a kiss goodnight.
The Kelloggs closely observed both children and even
conducted strange tests, such as spinning them on chairs until they cried, to
measure their reactions. At first, the experiment showed Gua adopting some
human-like traits, but then Donald began to show worrying behaviours. He
started grunting for food, wrestling with Gua, and even biting, which alarmed
his parents.
The experiment was cancelled after nine months
After just nine months, the experiment was stopped. The
Kelloggs also worried that Gua’s growing strength might put Donald at risk.
Sadly, this was not the end of the story. Gua, who had grown attached to the
family, was sent away to live in a cage with other chimps. She struggled in
this new environment and passed away before her third birthday, reportedly from
pneumonia, though some say it was heartbreak.
Donald’s life also ended in tragedy. He grew up to be a
doctor but faced emotional struggles throughout his life. In 1973, at the age
of 43, he took his own life, just a year after his parents had died.
Gua sadly died at the
age of three
This experiment is remembered as a disturbing chapter in
history. While it was meant to study human and animal behaviour, it caused pain
and loss for both Donald and Gua. Today, it serves as a reminder of the
importance of ethics in scientific research.
