When Medicine Went Mad

Human Experimentation During the Holocaust

Nazi Ideology

“Life Unworthy of Life”– Nazism promoted imperialism with claims of

biological superiority– Sought to develop a master race

– Nazis considered the mentally and physically disabled, homosexuals, criminals, clergy, Communists, Jews, and many others impure and undeserving of life.

Nazi Ideology

Anti-Semitism – Jews were the primary focus of Nazi ideology. – The Final Solution became a plan in which

Nazi Germany would engage in the systematic genocide of the Jewish people.

– The Nazi’s racist ideology legitimized the killing of almost twelve million people during the Holocaust.

Science during the Nazi Era• Nazi era scientists and

engineers were pioneers of

• Television• Jet-propelled air craft• Guided missiles • Electron microscope

• The first magnetic tape recording was a speech given by Hitler.

• Nerve gasses Sarin and Tabun were Nazi inventions.

Science during the Nazi Era

Health Reforms– Bans on carcinogenic food dyes– Introducing smoke free public places– New means of controlling dust exposure on

factory floors– Recognized lung cancer and mesothelioma as

occupational illnesses that were subject to compensation due to asbestos inhalation.

"Of course I am a doctor and I want to preserve life. And out of respect for human life, I would remove a gangrenous appendix from a diseased body. The Jew is the gangrenous appendix in the body of mankind." Dr. Fritz Klein, Nazi physician

Human Experimentation

1.) Experiments aimed at facilitating the survival of the Axis military personnel.

-High Altitude Experiments

-Freezing Experiments

-Seawater

Human Experimentation

2.) Experiments aimed at developing and testing pharmaceuticals and treatment methods for injuries and illnesses which German military and occupation personnel encountered in the field.

-Tuberculosis

-Bone, Muscle, and Joint Transplantation

Human Experimentation

3.) Experimentation that sought to advance the racial and ideological tenets of the Nazi worldview.

-Sterilization

-Twin Studies

Hypothermia

• Replicate the conditions the armies suffered on the Eastern Front.

• The experiments were conducted under the supervision of Dr. Sigmund Rasher.

• The experiments were usually performed on young healthy Jews or Russians.

“How long will it take to lower the body temperature to death?”

- The following measurements were taken of the victims: internal and external temperatures, heart sounds, electrocardiograms, and chemical analysis of blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and urine.

- An insulated probe which measured the drop in temperature was inserted into their rectum.

- The individual was either strapped to a stretcher and placed outside naked or placed in a vat of freezing water.

“Can a frozen victim be resuscitated?”

Warming Methods

-Hot Sleeping Bags

-Scalding Baths

-Women were forced to have intercourse with the victim

-Hot liquid was injected into the victims body

Knowledge Gained

• Death from hypothermia is cardiovascular in origin.

• The neck and back of head had to be protected to minimize the effects of hypothermia.

• The body continued to cool after it was removed from the cold.

• Most victims lost consciousness and died when the body temperature dropped to 25 C.

• Warming Techniques

"I don't want to have to use this data, but there is no other and will be no other in an ethical world."

Dr. John S. Hayward, hypothermia expert at University of Victoria University, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, on why he used Nazi hypothermia data in his

research

Controversy

Pro:

-Good from evil

- Hypocritical because scientist use data gathered from a number of countries that abuse human rights

- No way to recreate experiments

Con:

- Furthering the Nazi project

- Sends the message that the character of the scientists isn’t really important

- Use of this data will change the mentality towards unethical experimentation

Nuremberg Trial

There is no law that differentiates between illegal and legal experiments.

Nuremberg Code

• During the course of the experiment the human subject should be at liberty to bring the experiment to an end if he has reached the physical or mental state where continuation of the experiment seems impossible.

• The experiment should be so conducted as to avoid all unnecessary physical/mental suffering or injury.