However, I know from my own experience that a camp has a system of its own, and it can affect you, and the barbed wire with which you are surrounded has a tendency to change human beings and has a tendency to change your character, and I think when entering a camp, you are captivated by certain conditions and a certain number of your principles are changed that way.
DR. MARX: I ask the Tribunal not to admit the testimony because, first of all, tho witness is still too young, and ho himself is not enough of a scientist in order to be able to answer this question. In the second place, this question may be a leading question.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal permitted the Defendant's counsel a very liberal cross-examination. The Prosecution will be allowed some liberality in its redirect-examination. The Prosecution will be allowed some liberality in its redirectexamination. The objection is overruled.
MR. McHANEY: I think that's all I wish to ask tho witness, your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: Is there any further cross examination by defense counsel?
DR. HANS MARK (counsel for the Defendant Becker-Freyseng): May it please the Tribunal, there is one more question which I would like to address to the witness.
BY DR. HAND MARK:
Q Witness, it is q question of your knowledge of the political attitude of Dr. Becker. At one time you were together in Hamburg with Dr. Decker, and that was a short time before your promotion to Stabsarzt (Captain) in the medical service. At that time, had you gained the impression of a political attitude of Dr. Becker?
A Can you give me any more details? I cannot remember at the moment.
Q. Well, Dr. Becker claims that on the evening in question, you had stayed overnight in one hotel room.
A Yes, that is correct.
Q And on that occasion, you had told him that your wife was half jewish, is that correct?
Q Can it not be concluded from this that Becker had your full confidence?
A Certainly. I had no reason to distrust him.
Q Well, something of this kind can only be entrusted to a man who is politically discreet, and you must have been sure of his political discretion.
A Yes.
Q What was your opinion about the philosophical attitude of Dr. Becker?
A We had no ardent National-Socialists in our circle, and Becker in no way emphasized this way of thinking.
Q Yes. Under this circle, do you understand the Luftwaffe as so whole, or only the medical offices?
A Especially the medical offices.
Q Yes.
DR. HANS MARK: Thank you very much. I have no further question.
DR. BERNARD VORWERK:
Q During the experiments at Dachau, did you talk with Dr. Romberg?
A Yes, we talked occasionally.
Q Did Romberg tell you anything about the experimental subjects?
A Romberg did not like to discuss that subject, and the same applied to me. I remember, or I had the impression that Romberg, even after the experiments had already been carried through, was of the opinion that the experimental subjects were according to the prerequisites which had been discussed in our circle.
Q You said that you had the impression. Don't you know if that was actually so?
A Yes, certainly, that was the case. I know that Romberg was convinced of it.
Q What I wanted to know is: if Romberg stated to you that these experimental subjects were in accordance with the prerequisites which we have just discussed or if they wore not in accordance with the prerequisites?
A Could you please repeat your question?
Q I want to know if Romberg stated to you that these experimental subjects which were used for these experiments were in accordance with the prerequisites which you have just discussed or if they were not in accordance with the prerequisites which you have just discussed?
AAt that time, as far as I remember, we did not discuss this matter in such detail; but I did have the impression, the very certain impression that Romberg was of the opinion that some of his experimental subjects at least were actually pardoned.
Q You had this impression. Are you convinced of that? Are you convinced also that Romberg--I mean now during the experiments-- also shared this impression?
A Yes?
THE PRESIDENT: Is there any further cross examination of the witness? If not, the witness will be excused.
MR. McHANEY: If the Tribunal, please, we had concluded yesterday's session with the introduction of Document 1609-PS, as Prosecution Exhibit 92, which is on Page 77 of the English Document Book; and the court will recall that was a letter dated 24 October 1942 from Heinrich Himmler to Rascher, acknowledging receipt of several letters and stating that he had read his report regarding cooling experiments on humans and that Sievers should arrange for the evalutati of the results of these experiments at institutes which arc connected with the SS; and he had further stated that he had regarded those people as traitors who still today reject these experiments on humans and would instead let sturdy German soldiers die as a result of these cooling methods.
We now go on to Document 401 which will be Prosecution Exhibit 93; and this, if the Tribunal, please, is tho report on the meeting in Nurnberg on the 26 and 27 of October 1942, on medical problems arising from distress at sea and winter hardship. This is the report on the meeting which your honors have heard discussed at some length this morning. On the bottom of the first page you will see that tho meeting was sponsored by the Inspector of Medical Service of the Luftwaffe, and that the chairman of the conference was Stabsarzt Professor Dr. A.J. Anthony; and the Tribunal will recall that Dr. Anthony was chief of the department for Aviation Medicine in the medical service of the Luftwaffe, and that the defendant Becker-Freyseng was his assistant in that department from the latter part of 1942 until early in 1944, when the defendant BeckerFreyseng became chief of the department for Aviation Medicine. On the next page, that is to say, page 80 of the English Document Book, you will see an index of the contents of the report, and it gives tho names of the doctors who lectured at this conference together with the subject which they discussed. You will see that Dr. Anthony gave the opening speech end the chart shows that he was chairman of this meeting. It was a report meeting on Aviation Medical problems. I call the Tribunals attention to the name of Jarisch under item IV in the Table of Contents; and the Tribunal will recall that he along with Weltz and Rascher, as mentioned in the memorandum written by Nini Rascher-that is a mistake, your honor,-- the name Jarisch was mentioned in a letter which, as I recall, is gone in already, in which Hippke had recommended to Rascher the names of Jarisch and Singer and one other gentleman whose name I forget at this moment, who wore to collaborate with him in the freezing experiments. That is Document number NO-283 that went in as Prosecution Exhibit 82. This was a letter from Rascher to the Reichsfuehrer in which he reported a talk he had had with Hippke and Hippke had asked that the following be engaged in these experiment. Professor Dr. Jarisch was one of them, along with Holzloehner and Singer. Immediately under the name of Jarisch in these Table of Contents is that of the name of the defendant Weltz, who read a paper on rewarming after life endangering frozen. Holzloehner gave his talk on the prevention and treatment of freezing in water, which, of course, was a report on the experiments carried out freezing in Dachau.
We come down to Item 6 and we see the name Schaeffer mentioned as reporting on thirst and the results to combat in case of sea distress.
I cannot find the man Schaeffer identified more particularly in this report, but I suggest to the Tribunal that the Schaeffer now sitting in the Box was certainly concerned with thirst problems and problems of sea distress. The Tribunal will hear proof at a later stage in this trial that it was the defendant Schaeffer who participated in a conference in 1944, where it was agreed that experiments to test the photobility of sea water by this method and by a method of ether means would be carried out on living human beings in Dachau; and here two years earlier we find a man with the same name reporting on the same subject in another conference which presented a report on experiments carried out on living human beings.
As the Witness Lutz testified there was no question among the participating members as to where the experiments had been carried out and as to what had happened to some of the unfortunate victims.
I want to also call the Court's attention to Item 7, to the name of Hildemann, who gave a talk on practice cold problems in the Army. I should think that the defendant Handloser might have been interested in the same subject, since at this time he was the army medical inspectorate, as well as Chief cf the Medical Service of the armed forces.
I also point cut to the Tribunal the name Brauch, No. 6, under Item VII, who gave a talk on Winter experiences of the air fleet. He was attached to the air force as Professor and Oberstabsarzt of Luftflettenarzt 1. It was true he was one of the subordinates of the defendant Schaeffer, who at that time was connected with Air Fleet No. 2, tut we shall sec that we had a very very broad representation of Luftwaffe doctors at this meeting, and it would be strange indeed that none of the happenings and the reports made at this meeting did not reach the second highest ranking medical officer in the Luftwaffe.
I now ask the Tribunal to turn to the list of participants in the conference. This gives us a list of 95 doctors who attended this meeting. The Tribunal evidenced some interest in whether or not any of the defendants in this dock were there besides Weltz, and you can see from this list that a small group of them were present, namely the defendant Becker-Freyseng, being listed as No. 7. The witness who has just testified, Lutz, is shown as the No. 50. The defendant Rose, the great expert on tropical medicine dropped into this freezing conference, being No. 67 on this list. The defendant Ruff, No. 69. The defendant Sievers, No. 71, and the defendant Weltz No. 88.
Now, this list is very interesting for other reasons. The Tribunal will recall that the chart docs not have the defendant Handloser listed as one of the defendants subordinated to him as the Army Medical Inspectorate of the Mountain Medical School of the Army at St. Joachim, and I call the Tribunal's attention to the name Balke, Item No. 3 on this list, who was representative from this mountain Medical School under the jurisdiction of the defendant Handloser.
I also call the Tribunal's attention to the name Cremer, Item No. 16, being attached to the same institution under the defendant Handloser, and the Tribunal will hear later on the name of Cremer mentioned in a letter from Rascher to Himmler, as wishing to collaborate with him on freezing problems.
Item No. 33, a man by the name of Hildemann, also out at the Mountain Medical School of the Army at St. Joachim. As to Schroeder we see Huebner's name mentioned, Item No, 38, and the Tribunal will hear the name of Huebner mentioned in connection with sea water experiments in 1944, a consulting physician to the defendant Schroeder.
Item No. 41, Oberarzt Koenig, Laboratory Platoon of O.K.W. with Handloser, the Chief of the Medical Services of the and again very interesting with respect to Handloser the name Linck, No. 45, L-i-n-c.-k, who was attached to the Academy of Military Medicine under the defendant Handloser.
We find the name of Meister, No. 52, another air fleet physician, Air Fleet No. 4. So that these matters were not kept from the air fleet physicians.
The Waffen-SS is represented, Item No. 55, We find the name Murthum, Obersturmbannfuehrer, of the Hygiene Institute of the Wanffen-SS, under the defendant Mrugowsky and Genzken.
No. 59, Petersen, Hauptsturmfuehrer, of the SS Medical Office, Berlin.
Another representative on the Academy of Military Medicine for Handloser was Ranke, Oberfeldarzt, Professor and Doctor, No. 63. Rascher, No.64, and No. 66, Romberg. I am not sure I mentioned Romberg earlier. The defendant Romberg was there.
And of great interest is No. 76, Schreiber, Oberstarzt, Lecturer and doctor of medical habilitation, Physiological Institute Goettingen. Dr. Schreiber is prominently shown on the chart drawn for us by Handloser, as the commanding officer of the Military Academy in Berlin, and his name appears here on the chart.
We find another air fleet physician, Air Fleet No.3, Dr. Stelle, Stabsarzt, Luftflottenarzt.
I think the Tribunal will find a direct study of the participant at this conference most interesting.
I come now to the next page, which gives us the extract from this report, which is a summary of the talk given by Handloser, and before coming to that I would like to read the introduction which says, "The report of the meeting of 7/43," which is not a reference to a date. This meeting was 26-27, October, 1942. It says" the report of the meeting represents the summary of the results of the scientific investigations of medical measures in the case of distress at sea, and the winter hardships. The material in question is not a service regulation. The resulting practical deductions will be worked over and ordered by the competent offices Now, I think that is of some interest to Your Honor, because it gives us some indication of how these aviation medical matters were handled in the German air forces.
These problems are of tremendous importance. The medical Service of the German air force from time to time issued service regulations which governed the manner in which aviators wore to be treated under certain circumstances, and it covers the whole field of medical treatment. Here they were concerned about the problem of freezing. What is an air fleet or flight surgeon or sea rescue service to do when they fish a nun out of the North Sea?
Are they to warm then in blankets or warn them in a cradle, or give them whiskey or put then in a hot bed or treat then with diathermy of the heart. These are of great interest. They do not issue those regulations which control the matters without complete and proper authority. That is precisely what he says here.
I would think it would be rather difficult for any defendant in this dock to get up and say "I knew nothing about these natters, because they were interested in medical aviation problems. They had discussion about it. Service regulations controlling these things were not issued without the knowledge and approval of. such non as Chief of the Medical Aviation Department under Freyseng, wit out knowledge of such people as Schaeffer? the second highest ranking medical officer in the Luftwaffe? an air fleet surgeon.
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will now take the noon recess until 1:30.
AFTERNOON SESSION (THE HEARING RECONVENED AT 1330 hours, 12 DECEMBER 1946)
THE MARSHAL: The Tribunal will now be in order.
MR. McHANEY: If the Tribunal please, the prosecution before the noon recess had just introduced Document N0-401 as Prosecution Exhibit 93, which is the report on the Nurmber meeting in October, 1942, on freezing problems.
I read from Page 85 of the English document book on the lower part of the page, which is the opening address given by Anthony:
"During the 1st years soldiers of all services, especially a considerable number of fliers, could be rescued from sea distress by tho Sea Distress Service (Seenotdienst) of the Luftwaffe. A year ago, by order of the Chief of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe (Inspektour des Sanitaetswesens der Luftwaffe), Generaloberstabsarzt Hippe had a discussion with a small circle about medical experiences at the Sea Distress Service. The results of this conference are summed up in a report. The conclusion was, among others, that exact examinations of the phenomena at general freezings are necessary to enable us to diagnose and treat these cases properly.
"During the winter campaign in the east, the freezing problem reappeared in another form.
"In tho meantime, systematic examinations concerning these problems have been made at various places. The first day of our meeting shall show us the results of these examinations and thus give us an idea, of the state of our knowledge of freezing in general.
"On the second day there will be reports on further medical experiences of the Sea Distress Service and of experiences during the Eastern campaign. After that specific scientific problems will be discussed which are of importance for rescues from distress at sea and for general and local protection against cold.
"On the following day the participants will also have tho opportunity to attend proceedings of the Dermatological Society (Dermatologische Gesellschaft) in Wuerzburg, dealing with local freezing injuries.
"The problems to be discussed during the session should help to clarify the pertinent problems. The results will enable the competent offices to issue the necessary medical orders and instructions. The measures which have to be taken at once because of the approaching winter have already been fundamentally outlined for nine months and have also been carried out in the army."
I continue to read on the next page, which is that portion of the report devoted to a synopsis of the paper ready by Dr. Holzloehner, who carried out the freezing experiments in Dachau in cooperation with Dr. Finke, also of the Luftwaffe, and Dr. Rascher.
"Prophylaxis and Treatment of Freezing in Water.
"Observations by the Sea Distress Service have shown that the reduction in body temperature proceeds very rapidly in the case of persons in distress at sea subjected to water temperature below 15 degrees. As unconsciousness or even death can occur already after half an hour, the possibility of using planes and boats is greatly decreased. Moreover, observations of mass catastrphes (the sinking of transports or war ships) revealed that even a rather long time after the rescue danger to life still exists. Thus, sudden deaths were observed twenty minutes to one and one-half hours after the rescue, which until now have remained unexplained.
"Freezing experiments on animals have been conducted hitherto predominantly to observe reflex regulations of a vasomotor and chemical nature. However, experiments with low temperatures of water corresponding to the range of temperature of practical importance in the Sea Distress Service were re lacking. Informative investigations wore conducted by Dr. Schuster. These showed that small animals could only resist freezing in water of below 10 degrees for a short time. If rats, for instance, the decline of whose rectal temperature was being recorded, swim about in water of 4 to 9 degrees, the possibility of an effective reflex regulation will already be exhausted after two to three minutes. Then the body temperature drops sharply and almost straight down, then to approach more slowly the temperature of the freezing water. Only during the first brief period does the organism behave noticeable differently from a physical model.
The main body of the curve, especially the steep drop, greatly resembles the course of freezing of a small paraffin-coated bulb of corresponding volume filled with water at body temperature.
"The larger the animals the slower the reduction in temperature, corresponding to the greater amount of water and the relatively small surface. On the other hand, the phase of resistance of larger animals, such as cats and dogs, during which the straight "model-like" decline is delayed, is not prolonged correspondingly. Thus, for instance, with a dog weighing thirteen kilograms subjected to the freezing effect of four to five degree water, the straight decline begins already after two and a half minutes. This does not mean, of course, that the reflex regulations end here but that they grow less effective and are outweighed by the strong reduction of temperature.
"Thus, the question of the critical temperature of the freezing water, below which people are endangered particularly rapidly, cannot be finally answered on the basis of experiments on animals. In the case of water temperature under 15 degrees, of interest to the Sea Distress Service, all reflex regulation appears only slightly in the usual test animals. The freezing curves to a great extent resemble these of a physical model which can only be compared with many reservations to human curves because of their different measurements and differing constant temperature. But the critical body temperature, also, of men and test animals are apparently very different. Rats, for instance, can survive a rectal temperature of twenty degrees for several hours.
"The blood count, as well as the changes in the blood analysis, were also tested in such severe freezing. There investigations yielded few new results; and they correspond to the results of slow freezing or the results determined from local freezing. Among these changes, the considerable rise in viscosity in dogs and cats is of practical importance. Of interest besides are those changes which point to disorders of the intermediary metabolism. These are diminution of the alkali reserves and the rise of the pH. As the question arose, whether a considerable toxic increase in the potassium level of the blood could occur along with the known decline in resistance of erythrocytes in the cold (Jarisch), and which the incipient hemolysis frequently observed, the potassium and calcium levels of the blood were determined.
The potassium content had only risen a trifling amount.
"As regards rewarming, we had the same experiences as Mr. Weltz. Just as the temperature is reduced more quickly by cold water than by cold air, so an increase in temperature is better attained by warm water than by warm air. We found most successful the effect of so-called ultra-short waves in rewarming. While a rat, with its critical body temperature of nineteen degrees, recovers totally in a thermostatically controlled temperature of forty-two degrees in about three-quarters of an hour, it can, subjected to such low frequency alternating currents (Verschiebestroeme), appear almost entirely normal in its motor and sensory reactions after two to three minutes. The observation that in a hot sand bath the rewarming occurs as rapidly as in a hot water bath seems to be of practical importance. In the Sea Distress Service, sand and bran baths are more easily transported in planes and boats than are hot water baths.
"Under the practical points of view mentioned above, it was disappointing, but nevertheless of special importance for the problems of animal experiments, that after removal from the water sudden death, which could be compared to the collapse after rescue in humans, was never observed within a corresponding period of time. Therefore, it is to be assumed that conditions occur in human beings in corresponding circumstances of freezing which the animal experiment does not include.
"It has now been possible to conduct a series of investigations of human beings who were rescued after having been in cold water for a long time. The relevant statements we owe to the cooperation of Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher and Stabsarzt Dr. Finke. They refer to a stay in water of 2 to 12 degrees."
I would like to say parenthetically before I continue to read this report that while nothing has been said up to now to definitely indicate that these experiments were being performed on living human beings -- that is to say, it might have been construed that the examinations were made on people who had in fact been rescued after accidentally being subjected to freezing in water-- now the Witness Lutz has told us that it was made perfectly clear that these were in fact experiments. That is to say that people were subjected to freezing water to determine their reaction. But this is also apparent from the remaining part of the report, and the reason that it is apparent is because that it would have been physically impossible for my scientist to make the detailed clinical report which is contained in here on the basis of isolated rescues conducted at sea. I continue to read from the paper read by Dr. Holzloehner:
"The rapidity of which numbness occurs is remarkable. It was determined that already 5 to 10 minutes after falling in, an advancing rigor of the skeletal muscles sets in, which renders the movement of the arms especially increasingly difficult. This affects respiration also: inspiration is deepened and expiration is delayed. Besides this, heavy mucus secretions occur. These factors have to be taken into consideration in planning and developing rescue equipment. Thus, for instance, it is certainly extremely difficult even at the beginning of numbness to climb into a rubber raft, to blow up a rubber raft for one person, or to make use of instruments or to signal or call. The rigor is a conditioned reflex and not, as many persons apparently think, a contraction of the corresponding muscles due to cold.
It ceases spontaneously at death. From this it follows that persons seemingly dead who still evince a definite rigor offer hope of revival.
With a drop of the rectal temperature to 31 degrees, a clouding of consciousness occurs, which passes to a deep cold-induced anesthesia if the decline reaches below 30 degrees. With freezing within the range of temperature mentioned, the cold-induced anesthesia can appear after 30 minutes to one and a half hours; a sharp increase of spinal fluid pressure and reflexes appear regularly again.
"Very important is the observation that with a rectal temperature of between 29 and 30 degrees arrhythmia perpetua occurs regularly and that it remains for one and a half to two hours after the person is removed from the water. It can pass over to a normal heart activity of its own accord and without therapeutic aid. But, if the rectal temperature has dropped below 29 degrees a sudden death of heart failure can develop from the arrhytmia. Breathing can continue after the cessation of the heart activity, as slow grasping breathing for up to half an hour.
"A dependence of the rapidity with which tho rectal temperature drops on water temperature between 2 to 12 degrees was not determined with any certainty. The known fact that well-fed and strong persons freeze more slowly in water was confirmed. It is certain that the rapidity of the drop of temperature increases when the neck and occiput are washed by water.
"It is of particular importance that the drop of temperature can continue for 20 to 40 minutes after removal from water if the rescued person, rubbed dry and wrapped in warm blankets, is left alone. Subsequent decline of rectal temperature of more than 4 degrees may occur. If this subsequent drop in temperature passes below a rectal temperature of 28 degrees sudden death by heart failure can occur.
"In the blood of severely frozen persons the number of red blood corpuscles is increased up to 20%. The increase in leukocytes is even greater; 25,000 to 27,000 are to be found pro mm 3. The multiplication of the erythrocytes corresponds to an increase in hemoglobin of from 10 to 20%. Niticeable and important is a great increase in viscosity of up to 7.8.
This increase appears very early, that is, already with a body temperature of 35 degrees. These increases are greater than those found in animal experiments. With dogs, for instance, an increase of more than 6.2 was never observed under corresponding circumstances. Furthermore, the blood sugar could be determined. Regular increases of blood sugar were observed, which, with low rectal temperatures, can reach 100%.
"True, that irregularity, which indicates a serious damage to the heart, is certainly found in experiments with animals. But, there it seems to appear only at lower temperatures. Consequently the heart of human beings, who were frozen in water, seems to be more exposed to danger than the heart of experimental animals. The damage to the heart is to be traced back to the following circumstances:
"1. The strong increase in viscosity necessitates a more intense functioning of the heart.
"2. The throttling of the peripheric regions of the vessels induces a repletion of the central parts. All records on autopsies concerning death by freezing in water after diestress at sea, uniformly show a strong repletion of the right heart. There are even symptoms proving that not only the blood circulation in the skin and in the skeletal muscles is being throttled by strom and rapid freezing, but that, contrary to the Dastre-Morat Law, a reduction of the blood circulation of the kidneys and intestines and even a strong contraction of the spleen take place.
"All this will increase the power of Resistance in the entire circulation and increase the rush of blood to the heart.
"3. It is to be expected that, under the influence of the low blood temperature, the heart itself becomes highly hypodynamic. Experiments with animals have proved long ago that by overloading and freezing of tho isolated heart a fluttering of the ventricles can be produced.
"Besides physical damage to the heart muscles by cold, damage by pathological products of metabolism must of course be taken into consideration. The high increase of blood sugar may, at first sight be brought in connection with increased secretion of adrenalin. The constancy of this increase of blood sugar during the fall of temperature, however, is noteworthy. It can be presumed, that, with the fall of temperature continuing, the secretion of adrenalin will sometime come to a standstill.
At the same time a rapid decrease of the blood sugar ought to take place, if the phenomena of oxidation would take their course without disturbances; apparently this is not the case.
"The conditions of the heart allow an opinion to be formed on the problem of collapse after rescue. This collapse can result either when a drop below a critical value is caused by subsequent decrease of the body temperature as set out above, or else, when the freezing was preceded by supreme physical strain. It must to pointed out in this connection that collapse after rescue particularly appeared at mass catastrophes, in the course of which people had to swim to a certain spot during a long time partly without being equipped with the necessary means of buoyancy, as life jackets, etc. In this case, a heart, the damage to and overloading of which is indicated by the fluttering of the ventricles, may suddenly fail after rescue.
"The aspect of illness in the case of rapid freezing is therefore the negative of a collapse, in the course of which a hemmorrhage into the periphery takes place. Up to now such a collapse was dreaded during rewarming and therefore often a slow rewarming has been recommended or prescribed. The sudden death after warming had been traced back to such a hemmorrhage into the periphery. Since it has been shown that here, too, the direct damage to the heart is the main cause, those theoretical doubts can be done away with. The good results with quick warning obtained in experiments with animals encouraged a corresponding procedure with human beings. Those experiments showed that baths with a water temperature of 40° not only accelearate the return to normal temperature and absorb the sudden dangerous falls of temperature after rescue, but may also be of life-saving effect should the heartbeats begin to stop. Danger to persons treated in such a way was never observed.
"The treatment with electic arcs or hot air is less effective. But this treatment must lie preferred to simple and quick drying and subsequent wrapping into warm blankets. Rubbing also has a favorable effect if a superficial warming up of the skin by means of a hot bath or an electric arc has preceded, which has increased the capacity to the epidemic vessels.
"The faborable effect of an intensive supply of warmth may be explained, apart from the rapid re-establishment of the body temperature, or the prevention of a subsequent fall of temperature by easing the pressure on the heart. In a way it is a sort of blood-letting into the periphery. Under those circumstances it seems illogical from the very beginning to administer analoptika to persons suffering from rigor which would increase the tonus of the vessels in the periphery. Jarisch has even found out that such analptika given in otherwise admissible doses may have a toxic effect in experiments with animals. This does not show with human beings. Even strophanthin can be tolerated without having on the other hand a demonstrably favorable effect. Moreover, all therapeutical interference which might delay a rapid active supply of warmth is to be rejected.
"Preventive measures against rapid freezing in water prescribe in this case, that person who fall into the water keep their clothes on. The otherwise insulating air between the clothes gets lost, however, by their being soaked, nevertheless persons freeze more slowly in their clothes because the water warmed by the body adheres for a longer period to the surface of the body (decrease of the convection). Protective suits were developed which so to speak regenerate and retain the escaping air without being air-proof.
"This is wadded underwear, the threads of which are chemically prepared, a comparatively steady foam is formed which adheres to the clothing once it is drenched. By the use of such safety-suits freezing might be delayed for 1-1/2 to three hours. The chances for planes and boats in the Sea, Distress Rescue Service are considerably increased by this device."
There follows this extract from the paper, a synopsis on the paper read by Holzloehner, a synopsis of the discussion of the paper made by various individuals and attendants at the meeting. I thing it would serve no useful purpose for me to read all of these. However, I would like to call the Court's attention to the statement made by Rascher:
"Supplementing the statements of Holzloehner there is a report on observation according to which cooling in the region of the neck only, even if it lasts for several hours, causes merely a low sinking ( up to 1 deg.C) of the body temperature without changing the blood-Sugar-level or the heart function. Checking of the rectal temperature was carried out by taking the temperature in the stomach and showed complete agreement. After taking alcohol, body temperature decreases at a quicker pace. After taking daxtropur the decrease is slower than with the experiments in both sober and alcoholic condition. Hot infusions ( 10% dextre solution, physiolog. Table salt solution, tutofusin, physiolog. Table salt-solution with pancortex) were successful only for a time."
Now I think it is amply clear from reading this report on its face that it was made more than clear at this meeting that experiments had been carried out on living human beings and that this is in a clinical report given on people who had in fact evidently been subjected to freezing water. The report and clinical picture is considerably too detailed for such an explanation to be accepted, which, of course, is a matter of no importance, except in so far as it indicates that the other men in attendance at this meeting were clearly given to understand that experiments on human beings had taken place, proof of which we have already put in, and which shows clearly, of course, that the experiments did take place. The important thing here is that a report an a very plain report was given at a very large meeting, at a conference meeting of doctors from all four arms of the armed forces in Germany.
The only other matter in this report which I wish to call to the Tribunal's attention is on page 97, in which a remark is made by Grosse Brockhoff, and it reads as follows:
"The paper presented by Prof. Holzloehner reopens the question - to what extent we are justified to apply to human beings the experiences gained by experiments on animals. However, it is obvious that there is a far reaching similarity, although there are minor quantitive differences, not one fundamental difference was demonstrated. We believe, that also in the case of human beings the diminution of the sensorium of the vital centres in the medualla oblongata and in the heart are the decisive causes of death.
These changes in the sensorium are rendered obvious from the electroenocephalogrous presented by Mr. Palms."
The only reason I am bringing that up is that it seems to be a statement made by a man who perhaps was objecting at this meeting to what had been done, stating in effect, we have made these very fundamental experiments on living human beings, and it is a question of whether or not they are justified or whether experiments on animals would serve the same purpose and he points out why there are quantitive differences, but that there are not fundamental quantitive differences, and while, of course, this is a rather mild comment, it is not to be expected in a report of this character distributed by the Luftwaffe. They are putting in verbatim everything which is said and done at this meeting. So much for the report on the Nurenberg meeting.
I proceed now to Document No. 323, which will be Prosecution Exhibit 94. The Tribunal will recall that we have already put into evidence the letter from Himmler to Rascher, telling him that he should carry out the re-warming experiments with animal heat. We have also put in documents which show request of a letter from Rascher stating that Sievers should do everything necessary in obtaining the four women, and that we have two telegrams in the record which sent forward the requests to Glucks that the four women be transferred from Ravensbruck to Dachau, and we now come back to the subject of re-warming by animal warmth, and that is what this memo by Dr. Rascher seems to be. It is dated 5 November, 1942:
"Subject:
"Requested report on concentration camp prostitutes:
"For the resuscitation experiments by animal warmth after freezing as ordered by the Reichsfuehrer SS I had four women assigned to me from the Women's concentration camp Ravensbrueck.
"One of the assigned women shows unobjectionably Nordic racial characteristics: blond hair, blue eyes, corresponding head and body structure, 21 3/4 years of age. I questioned the girl, why she had volunteered for the brothel. I received the answer: "To get out of the concentration camp, for we were promised that all those who would, volunteer for the brothel for half a year would then release from the concentration camp." To my objection that it was a great shame to volunteer as a prostitute I was told: "Rather half a year in the brothel than half a year in the concentration camp'. Then followed an account of a number of most peculiar conditions at camp R. Most of reported conditions were confirmed by the three prostitutes and by the female warden who had accompanied them from Ravensbrueck.