TOW #7 - H.I.V. Arrived in the U.S. Long Before 'Patient Zero'

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/27/health/hiv-patient-zero-genetic-analysis.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=1&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0

I read an article from the New York Times entitled "H.I.V. Arrived in the U.S. Long Before 'Patient Zero'". In this article, the arrival of the Aids epidemic in the United States is explored, and the original hypothesis of how it spread is proven wrong. Donald McNeil Jr., science and health journalist of the New York Times, wrote this. In 1975, he graduated summa cum laude from University of California, Berkeley (with a bachelor's degree in rhetoric!). McNeil is a critically acclaimed expert on this subject, being featured in the documentary Fire In The Blood, which focused on AIDS and drug use.

One thing the author does to achieve his purpose is giving background information. He defines the alleged 'Patient Zero': Gaetan Dugas, a French-Canadian flight attendant who was blamed for bring HIV from Haiti and Africa over to the U.S. This is valuable information, as if readers needed clarity on the meaning of the title, it is introduced if the opening statements of the article. Later, he tells about how there was flaws in the earlier investigations, as Dugas was labelled 'Patient O' for 'Outside California', NOT '0'. This is crucial to refuting the fact that Dugas was the "founder" of AIDS in the U.S. Through this, we are able to have an enhanced awareness of why the recent discovers described are so groundbreaking.

I think McNeil achieved his purpose. He cites credibly sources (scientists, doctors, historians), whose researches are recent and up to date. In this way, we are able to understand the fundamental facts behind the recent discoveries of how AIDS infected up to 500,000 Americans. He emphasizes numbers and years as a way to put things into perspectives for the readers, helping them to better understand the complex ideas in the article. Overall, McNeil’s use of the rhetoric was effective.