Mehmed Ali assigned Alexandria prisoners to Russian plague experiments in 1843.

Evidence

In 1843 the Pasha issued the following order to the Deputy of the Shūrā Al-Mu‘āwana: Owing to the arrival, lately, of a number of men from Russia who intend to undertake some experiments related to the plague, which would entail clothing some healthy people with clothes of those who were infected … and since it is certain that no one would approve of doing this experiment [voluntarily], it has been decided that some convicts in the Liman be chosen for this experiment which is beneficial to mankind. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 696

Categorization

• QUESTION: What did these Russian plague-clothing experiments find or fail to find, and what became of the convicts? Worth chasing later.
• BMF: This exact mechanic - authorities volunteering prisoners for lethal medical experiments they know no one would accept voluntarily - resonates with the coerced, disposable populations in Parable of the Sower where systems dispose of the powerless for the ‘greater good’ of the powerful.