Wertenstein instilled in Rotblat the idea that a scientist always bears responsibility for the consequences of his or her work; thus Rotblat came to believe in a ‘Hippocratic Oath’ whereby scientists would pledge themselves to use their talents for the benefit of humanity. He was always opposed to the view that the discoveries of science are in some sense neutral; according to him, scientists must never be indifferent to what they do and produce. This belief, arrived at by Rotblat early on under the influence of Wertenstein, was to permeate his future life and work.

Martin Underwood, Joseph Rotblat: a man of conscience in the nuclear age, Brighton [England] ; Portland, Or, 2009, p. 13