Mysterious Clusters of Birth Defects Stumps Doctors

When a small town in rural Washington is bombarded with birth defects in newborns, doctors are enduring the race against time to find a preventative cure for these children. What started out as only a few rare cases, Anencephaly (a defect in where parts of the skull and brain are missing) is on the rise in Washington. Within two years, Dr. Sara Barron has examined at least twenty-three cases of this fatal disease. Researchers suspect Anencephaly to be the outcome of a number of variables, such as chemical exposure, diet, location, etc. In regards to their research, many critics claim that scientists have insufficient evidence and are lacking knowledge when it comes to neural tube defects, and many citizens of this town are outraged that doctors aren't doing everything they can to find the cause and the cure.

I feel as though this disease is running it's course by costing the lives of innocent babies. As for the doctors, I think that they should research every case related to neural tube defects, and interview all living patients to determine why there has been such an increase in these birth defects. One citizen of this Washington town claims to be "...outraged that state researchers haven't called to ask questions: What did she eat while she was pregnant? Did she spend time near farms that sprayed pesticides? Did she take any herbs or supplements? How about [the child's] father? Was he exposed to any toxic chemicals?" (Cohen). The doctors need to look further into the issue so that they can save the lives that will otherwise be lost.

This relates to what I am doing in my English 10 Honors class in the way that children everywhere are suffering through no fault of their own. During and after the Holocaust, birth defect rates skyrocketed, and these exposed mothers and children were not able to access doctors to help them live and determine the cause of their child's illness. Now that most children today have the right to a doctor and to health, medical professionals are not performing at their best to aid these dying infants.

  How does the structure of the text refine and support the author’s claim? The structure of the text refines the author's claim by placing the controversial, key quotes as headers to paragraphs, such as, "Very Bad Research" (Cohen), and "I Wish They Would Take Things More Seriously" (Cohen). By placing these phrases at the top of each main point, the author shows the negativity and the outrage that the patients and their families have against the doctors.

Cohen, Elizabeth. "Mysterious cluster of births defects stumps doctors". CNN. Cable News Network, 1 Mar. 2014. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/01/health/cohen-birth-defects/index.html?hpt=hp_inthenews>.

Hawk, Thomas. "Holi Baby". Photograph. FlickrCC. Yahoo, 24 Mar. 2013. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/51035555243@N01/7531769724>.