The movie that we watched in class called "And the Band Played On" directed by Roger Spottiswoode is mainly based on how HIV and AIDS was discovered by the research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The movie is based in 1976 and the American scientist Don Francis becomes aware of a growing number of deaths from unexplained sources among gay men in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, and the investigations begin of the possible causes. The scientists from the Disease Control and Prevention is working with no money, limited space, and outdated equipment. Don Francis contacts politicians and numerous members of the medical community, many of them resent his involvement because of their personal agendas, and gay leaders. The gay patients were having symptoms of low T-cells, signs of the flu, and patches covering their skin. The three issues that the movie is trying to address is that the bathhouses are causing this virus, a flight attendant started to spread the AIDS to many other gays, and to prove that the disease is transmitted through blood and not just homosexuals.
The scientists were noticing that the patients had very low t-cells that were causing the patient to have flu like symptoms. Don Francis decided to send a sample to the French scientists so they can identify the disease as a virus. The CDC started to track the gay men by asking questions about there sex life and who they have been sleeping with because they tried to find out where this all lead too. As information and data was collected the scientists found that most sexual intercourses with homosexuals were happening in the San Francisco bathhouses. They tried to close the bathhouses to prevent this "Gay Cancer" but the vote didn't pass. Also, the data that was collected a French Flight Attendant was spreading the disease because he slept with hundreds of men all over the country so the cases kept growing in many different areas.
