1947-01-02, #2: Doctors' Trial (late morning)
MR. McHANEY: The next document in the Document Book is number NO-619, which is on page 98 of the English Document Book. This consists of an alphabetical list of names. In order that we may understand what this list is, I think it would be best if we put in first the 4th affidavit of the Defendant Fritz Fischer which is document number NO-904 and is on page 113 of the English Document Book. That will be Prosecution Exhibit 235:
I, Dr. Fritz Ernst Albert Fischer, being duly sworn, depose and state:
1. I am the same Fritz Fischer who has executed an affidavit on 8 November 1946 and I have been duly warned that this statement may be used against me in court.
MEDICAL CONFERENCES
2. It is my opinion that in order to coordinate the activities of the various branches of the Wehrmacht, the SS, and the civilian medical sector, four conferences were held between the years 1940 and 1944.
These conferences were entitled 'Medical Conferences of the Consulting Physicians of the Wehrmacht.' The first such conference was held sometime in 1940. The second conference was held sometime between the date of the first conference and the date of the third conference in May of 1943. Inasmuch as I was not in attendance at these first two conferences, I am unable to furnish any details thereof.
3. In May of 1943 the Third Conference of the Consulting Physicians of the Wehrmacht was held at the Military Medical Academy in Berlin. The Fourth Medical Conference of the Consulting Physicians of the Wehrmacht was held at Hohenlychen from the 16th to the 18th of May 1944.
4. These conferences were under the direction of Dr. Siegfried Handloser, Chief of the Medical Services of the Wehrmacht. The conferences were divided up into sections, for example, the Surgery Group, the Pathology Group, the Hygiene Group, etc. There were about twelve to fourteen different groups. These conferences were attended by three to four hundred interested medical men.
These persons were high military medical officers, high state officials, etc.
5. At the Third Conference in May of 1943 held at the Military Medical Academy in Berlin, the Surgery Group was presided over by Dr. Paul Rostock. I participated in this conference with Dr. Gebhardt, in that I lectured on the results of our work with sulfanilimide at the Ravensbruck Concentration Camp. I have given the complete details of the Third Medical Conference in my affidavit of 21 October 1946, Document No. NO-472.
6. At the Fourth Conference in May of 1944 at Hohenlychen the Surgery Group was presided over by Dr. Karl Behardt. As in the case of all conferences this Fourth Conference was ordered by Dr. Handloser and all consulting doctors of the Wehrmacht were invited. There were 324 physicians attending this conference. These doctors were billeted in various hotels and villas at Hohenlychen and some at establishments in the hospital. I think the list marked 'Document No. NO-619' is a true and correct list of the physicians in attendance at this Fourth Conference. The first list, consisting of six pages, is a list of the Army physicians attending this meeting. The second list, consisting of nine pages, contains the names of 324 physicians who attended this conference, and also states where they were billeted. I can recall that Buechner was at the Central Hotel Roessle was at the Krankengym; Ostertag was at the Hotel Eichberg at Himmelpfort. I can also recall that I personally saw a great many of the other doctors and that I can verify their presence.
7. The lists marked 'Document No. NO-619' is probably a representative list of those in attendance at all four of these conferences.
/s/ FRITZ FISCHER
The list of names which begins on page 98 is Document NO-619 and it has been identified by the Defendant Fischer, in the affidavit which I have just read, as a list of doctors who were in attendance at the Fourth Medical Con ference at Hohenlychen in May of 1944 and I submit this document as Prosecution Exhibit 236.
The list is quite long and it would serve no useful purpose for me to read it in its entirety. However, I think it might be useful to mention a few names which appear hereon because, as Fischer has told us, this list is representative of those persons who attended the Third Medical Conference at which we have seen and will also see later on, that reports were made about these medical experiments on concentration camp inmates and it is here that we find, in fact, the very nucleus of our conspiracy. We have a typical meeting of conspirators. They come together, the most important medical men in Germany, and hear reports made by the men who conducted these medical experiments in concentration camps and they accept these reports without any objection and similar experiments, or perhaps the same series of experiments, continue after these reports are made.
On page 98 of Your Honors' document book, item No. 6, we see the name ANTHONY, Stabsarzt, Professor Doctor. The Tribunal will recall that his name was mentioned in connection with the low-pressure and freezing experiment at the Concentration Camp Dachau. Anthony was Chief of the Department for Aviation Medicine, first under Hipke and then for a very short time under the Defendant Schroeder, and the chief subordinate of Anthony was the defendant Becker-Freyseng, who also was in attendance at this meeting at Hohenlychen in May of 1944. His name appears as item No. 32. And was the SS-Gruppenfuehrer Karl Brandt, the Reich Commissioner for Health and Medical Services present? Yes, indeed. He was item No. 9 here, Brandt, SS-Gruppenfuehrer, Professor, Doctor. Being a high official in the SS, I assume that he was a most important figure at this meeting in an SS Hospital, mainly that at Hohenlychen. And the deceased Dr. Conti was there, as we see by the name listed after 38, Conti, also an SS-Gruppenfuehrer, Under-Secretary of State, and a direct superior of the defendant Blome. On the next page, No. 40, we see the notorious Dr. Clauberg, famous by virtue of his unique ability to sterilize Jewish women.
No. 53, Stabsarzt, Dr. Dohmen, whom Your Honors will recall was important in the Epidemic Jaundice experiments, with which the defendant Karl Brandt also showed more than usual concern. Dr. Dohmen, you will recall, was dele gated by the defendant Karl Brandt to perform jaundice experiments on those persons condemned to death at Auschwitz.
The experiments were actually carried out at Sachsenhausen and Karl Brandt had Dohmen do this for him. We drop down to the bottom of the page and we find, as Item No. 80, Dr. Grawitz, Obergruppenfuehrer, Doctor. On the next page, No. 83, of course we find the Defendant Gebhardt, SS Gruppenfuehrer, and as Fischer stated, Gebhardt on this occasion was chairman of the meeting of the Surgeons' Section. The year before the Defendant Rostock had held that position but I suppose that since Gebhardt was in fact head of the SS Section of this hospital, that he was permitted to be chairman of this particular meeting. Immediately under Gebhardt we find the name Ginsken, SS Gruppenfuehrer. No. 87, Gutzeit. Butzeit was one of the army doctors under the defendant Handloser. Gutzeit, as I recall, was also mentioned in connection with the epidemic jaundice experiments and his name will also appear in connection with the typhus experiments carried out by Dr. Haggen at Natzweiler.
No. 101, Dr. Gross, SS-Obersturmbannfuehrer; Dr. Gross was the man who was commissioned to assist the defendant Blome in his work concerning biological Warfare and I think we shall find that work was also carried out with the assistance of helpless humans by an incarceration of concentration camps. Dr. Gross was later or at the same time Blome's assistant.
No.103, the famous Oberstabsarzt Dr. Haagen, the consulting hygienist to the Luftwaffe, that is the air fleet. Dr. Wright, as we shall see, he was the man who conducted the typhus experiments at Natzweiler.
No. 104, Handloser, Generaloberstabsarzt, professor doctor. As we already know by virtue of the chart drawn by the defendant Handloser, as well as from the affidavits of Fischer, Handloser controlled the Military Medical Academy.
No. 107, Heuber, professor doctor. The Tribunal will recall Dr. Heuber's name was mentioned in connection with sea-water experiments and as I recall he was consultant to the Luftwaffe. He among others advised that the sea-water experiments be carried out.
On the next page, 126, we see the name of Joedicke, oberstarzt. The Tribunal will recall that Joedicke was recommended by Ipke to Rascher as one of his collaborators in the freezing experiments. The fact is that Joedicke did not in fact ever collaborate with him and that is the only evidence we have, but Joedicke was an important figure in the Luftwaffe, and was in attendance at this meeting.
135, we find the name of Oberstabsarzt Kalk, professor doctor. The Tribunal will recall that the memorandum written by Dr. Romberg, after the meeting on September 10, 1942, when the motion picture of the high altitude experiments was shown in the Reichs Ministry for Aviation, he stated in his memo that Dr. Carlus was there. I think the name Carlus was also mentioned in connection with the jaundice experiments and he was also in attendance at this meeting.
On the next page, 179, the defendant Mrugowsky, SS-Oberfuehrer.
On the following page, 219, Poppendick, SS-Standartenfuehrer.
No. 220, Rostreck, Generalarst, professor doctor.
224, Rose, Oberstabsarzt, professor doctor.
232, Schroeder, Generaloborstabsarzt, doctor.
235, Schmidt-Bruecken, Schmidt-Bruecken was, as I recall, chief of staff for a time to the defendant Handloser, chief of the medical services of the Wehrmacht.
236, Schreiber. Of course you will recall that Schreiber was a very important figure in the Military Medical Academy and is shown in a prominent position on the chart drawn by Handloser.
The same holds true for Sauerbruch, 237.
I think that completes the names to which I wish to call the Tribunal's particular attention, but by locking through here we see that we have a very remarkable representation of defendants at this meeting and I submit that these self same defendants were in attendance at the other meetings of the Military Medical Academy and had reports given to them. Some of these reports were of course familiar to them prior to the time that they were let out in these meetings. In any event, they received clear knowledge of what was going on in the concentration camps of Germany. It is difficult to imagine any more clear and convincing proof to support the conspiracy count of the indictment.
The second part of this Document, No.619, that is beginning on page 106, simply gives the list of army doctors, who were ordered to attend the meeting at Hohenlychen and since they are also included in the list of 324 names, which I have already dealt with, it is unnecessary to study them here.
This, if the Tribunal please, completes the presentation of proof at this time on the experiments conducted at the Ravensbruck concentration camp, and Mr. Hardy will continue now with the presentation of evidence on the blood coagulation and phlegmon experiments conducted at Dachau.
THE PRESIDENT: Counsel, did you offer in evidence Document NO-619? I didn't quite get that.
MR. McHANEY: That was 236, your Honor.
THE PRESIDENT: This is page 106.
MR. McHANEY: It's all part of the same document.
THE PRESIDENT: Was that offered in part?
MR. McHANEY: I see what gives rise to the confusion here. That is all part of Document NO-619. A note on page 102 and 103 from the document room, they have inverted the 6 and 1 and it comes out NO-619 but all of these names are part of Document NO-619 which is Prosecution Exhibit 236.
MR. HARDY: This is Document Book Number 11, your Honor, blood coagulation. The Prosecution states in its indictment that all of the defendants are charged with special responsibility for and participation in medical experiments without the subjects' consent, and in the course of which expertments the defendants committed murders, brutalities, cruelties, tortures, atrocities and other inhuman acts.
This morning Mr. McHaney has completed the presentation of evidence in connection with the experiments involving sulfanilamide and bone transplantation at Ravensbruck. Other experiments to determine the efficacy of various drugs such as sulfanilamide upon wounds which were deliberately inflicted to create a condition similar to that of a battlefield wound, were conducted at Dachau.
At this time the Prosecution shall present evidence in connection with the blood coagulation experiments which were conducted at Dachau. The purpose of these experiments was to find a suitable drug which would stop the flow of blood. Continually through this presentation I will refer to the drug called polygal. Polygal is a pectin derivative extracted from vegetable sources, expecially apples and sugar beets, which has a coagulant action upon blood.
After the presentation of the evidence in connection with the blood coagulation experiments the Tribunal will note that this document book includes the evidence concerning the phlegmon experiments conducted at Dachau. As you will recall, several witnesses have previously testified, as to the phlegmon experiments and have given considerable details thereof.
At this time I request you to turn to page 1 of the document book. This is Document Number NO-065 which has been previously admitted into evidence as Prosecution Exhibit Number 221. For the purpose of these experiments I request the Court to turn to page 2, paragraph number 4. Paragraph Number 4 states:
Sievers (Ahnenerbe). I heard...
this is the affidavit of Cswald Pohl, you will recall...
I heard for the first time about it in Berlin on occasion of Sievers' visit with me. Evidently at that time the experiments were finish ed. Sievers came to find out from me about the possibilities for manufacturing of medicine. I mentioned the Deutsche Heilmittel GMBH (German Medical Corporation.) in Prag which belonged to the German plants, managed by Oberfuehrer Baier of my staff. I recommended Sievers to go to him. The medicine had been manufactured later in Schlachters (Black Forest). Sievers told me the following: The 'Ahnenerbe', whose manager was Sievers, had developed in Dachau a medicine which quickly brought coagulation of blood. It was enormously important for our army because it prevented continual bleeding. It was the result of experiments in Dachau during which a prisoner was fired upon. A prisoner in Dachau, a specialist (in the field) took an important part in the discovery of this medicine.
This specialist referred to here is undoubtedly Robert Feichs mentioned in the testimony before this Tribunal of the witness, Walter Neff. Also, the name Feichs will appear in the rest of the documents in evidence.
Here now we have established the fact, from the testimony of Oswald Pohl, that these experiments to envelop a good blood coagulant were conducted on human beings at Dachau whereupon prisoners were shot in order to create a condition which would simulate that of a battlefield wound.
I turn now to Document Number NO-473, page 3 of your Honor's document book, which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit Number 237. This is an affidavit of Wolfram Sievers.
I, Wolfram Sievers, being duly sworn, depose and state:
1. I was born on 10 July 1905 in Hildesheim, Germany. I became a member of the NSDAP in 1929 and joined the SS in 1935. My party number is 144983 and my SS number is 275325. At the end of the war I held the rank of SS Standartenfuehrer. In 1935 I became the Business Manager of the Ahnenerbe Society.
2. Due to my position in the Ahnenerbe Society and my affiliations with the Reich Research Council as a representative of Professor Mentzel, I have some knowledge of the activities of Dr. Kurt Blome.
3. I met Dr. Kurt Blome in the middle of the year 1933. Blome was Plenipotentiary for Cancer Research and had an Institute in Posen, which was called the "Reich Institute for Cancer Research". In connection with this Cancer Research Program I attended a conference in Berlin which was attended by Blome, Professor Holz, Dr. von Luetzelburg, and Dr. Rascher. A lengthy discussion concerning experiments with an extract from an Alpine plant took place. The extract from this plant was to be used for the cure of cancer. At that time the question of experimenting on human being or on cancer mic was discussed. Rascher wanted to experiment on the human beings immediately while Professor Holz and Blome wanted to experiment on animals first and then on human beings. At any rate Rascher had the approval of Himmler to conduct such experiments and was ordered to cooperate with Blome on any experiments concerning Cancer Research. Dr. Blome visited with Rascher on many occasion I assume that Rascher and Blome had about twenty meetings which took place in Berlin, Munich, and Dachau.
4. Blome, who did not seem to find the help given by other divisions sufficient from the point of view of his ideas about the execution of his tasks, sought and received Himmler's support.
5. At the end of 1943 I met Blome again in Himmler's presence. I can recall that during this conference Blome asked Himmler that Rascher be assigned to him for research work in his institute at Nesselstadt.
At this conference it was decided that Rascher should work in close cooperation with Blome. Rascher was also to assist Blome in the field of biological research.
6. When Rascher was ordered to establish a department for cancer research in the Dachau Concentration Camp, Oswald Pohl was ordered to assist him in every possible way. This order to Pohl came directly from Himmler. All concentration camp inmates suffering from cancer were to be transferred his department and experiments which would serve cancer research were to be conducted on them. Blome received reports from Rascher and visited him several times at Dachau. I assume that Blome had full knowledge of Rascher's work.
7. Blome also had full knowledge of the Blood Coagulation experiments at Dachau. He received reports from Rascher and should have a complete knowledge of these matters.
/s/ Wolfram Sievers
In connection with the blood coagulation experiments the Prosecution, during the examination of Walter Hoff, referred to the activities of the defendant Blome in this regard.
We shall see in due course that Blome had a substantial knowledge of these experiments and did not merely hear of them in casual conversation as he will try to have us believe.
We now turn to the next document which is an affidavit, page 7 of your Honor's document book, Document Number NO-471, which is offered at this time as Prosecution Exhibit Number 238. It is an affidavit of defendant Blome and deals with various subjects. At this time I will read the entire affidavit.
I, Kurt Blome, being duly sworn, depose and state:
1. I was born on 31 January 1894 in Bielefeld, Germany. In 1912 I graduated from secondary school in Dortmund and studied medicine at Goetting* Due to the war, I had to interrupt my studies in 1914, but resumed my medical studies in 1919 and passed the state examination in 1920 at the university of Rostock.
2. In 1931 I joined the NSDAP and later on I attained the rank of SA Gruppenfuehrer of the Medical Service. In 1943 the Golden Party Emblem was bestowed on me.
After many years of private medical practice, I was called to Berlin in 1934 by the Reich Chief of Physicians, Dr. Gerhard Wagner. There I took over the position of adjutant in the main office of the German Red Cross. Furthermore, it was my task from 1935 on to organize medical higher education.
3. In 1939 I became deputy to the Reich Chief of Public Health, Dr. Leonardo Conti, who was Dr. Wagner's successor. I represented Dr. Conti in his position as a) Chief of the Reich Medical Association, b) nominally Chief of the Main Office of Public Health of the Party, c) nominally Chief of NS Medical Association.
4. In consequence of my above mentioned positions I am able to state the following:
5. My knowledge of a program to kill persona mentally ill originated in rumors. When I heard that such a program was planned I discussed the matter with Dr. Conti. The latter refused to discuss any details of this program. However, Conti did state that it concerned a secret order given to Bouhler and Brandt. One day I got an invitation to a conference in 1940 or 1941. I cannot remember the exact date of the conference which took place in Munich. Dr. Conti informed me that this conference had been provoked by him and that Dr. Karl Brandt intended to present details of the Euthanasia Program. Viktor Brack represented Dr. Karl Brandt at this conference and presented an alleged Euthanasia Law signed by Hitler. This was to become effective and be published at the end of the war. During the years 1939 to 1941 the mercy killings were undertaken on the basis of a so-called secret law which, however, was never published. In 1941 Hitler prohibited continuation of the program. In wide medical circles this program was considered contrary to the existing morals and customs, and illegal.
6. In 1943 I was appointed Commissioner for Cancer Research. This research was conducted by the Reich Research Council over which Hermann Goering presided.
7. In 1943 a conference took place at Berlin. The object of this conference was to discuss the possibilities of employing an alpine plant as a cancer cure.
This method had been proposed by a cousin of Himmler, Dr. von Luetzelberg. Dr. von Luetzelburg, Professor Holz, Wolfram Sievers, and Dr. Rascher participated in this conference.
8 Dr. Rascher told me that he had executed experiments on human being at the Dachau concentration camp. One of them served to determine the effect of polygal on blood coagulation in the care of wounds incurred on the battlefield and during operations, etc. Rascher showed me laboratory studies concerning blood coagulation. Polygal seemed to be of value to our Armed Force Here the defendant Blome has referred to the fact that Rascher showed his laboratory studies.
You will see throughout the presentation that Blome's knowledge was considerably greater. He may well ask us to believe that these laboratory studies, so to speak, were merely the results of needle pricks in the end of an inmate's finger, followed by an application of a coagulant drug or some such defense as that. I read from the affidavit, paragraph 9.
9. Experiments on Human Beings. I became fully aware that experiment on human beings were conducted in concentration camps. Dr. Rascher informed me of completed water experiments and I remember that he stated, when asked, that during these one case of death had occurred. Himmler discussed with me experiments on human beings important for the war effort and stated that refusal was treated as treason. For the experiments, only common criminals, who had been sentenced to death and who were to be granted amnesty under certain circumstances after the experiments, were to be used. I discussed with Himmler the possibility of, after the war, finding a legal way for conducting such experiments for the solution of the cancer problem on a voluntary basis.
/s/ Kurt Blome
Here, Kurt Blome, I might mention in passing, admits that the programs which he was involved in medical experimentation had no legal basis, as he a* Himmler were getting together to determine what could be done to find a legal way for conducting such experiments after the end of the war.
We turn now to Page 10 of Your Honor's Document Book, Document Number NO-611 which will be offered as Prosecution Exhibit 239. This is a letter from the notorious Rascher to Wolfram Sievers, dated 15 September 1943:
Dear Standartenfuehrer: For your information and further action, I am sending you in the enclosure two copies of the essay 'Experiments with a new hemostat "Polygal 10"', which is in tablet form and is to be administered orally.
As already discussed in Munich, the manufacturing of this medicine 'Polygal 10' would be quite possible in an establishment near Brogenz, whereby some phases of the manufacturing process would be carried out in other existing enterprises. In order to make it a prosperous enterprise, it would, of course, be necessary that the patentee, Herr Feix, personally see to the manufacturing possibilities in Bregenz, etc. Conditio sine qua non to this would be the release of Feix. I would be grateful to you if it were possible for you to contact SA-Gruppenfuehrer Professor Dr. Blome in this regard, since it is requisite for an eventual release that he be reinstated to his former state as half-Aryan. Dr. Blome has given me great hopes in this respect. The release of Feix would be possible only if the Reichsfuehrer SS, seeing the results of our work, would get a somewhat different picture of Feix's person than he received from people who were interested in Feix's destruction. The picture of Feix resulting from the investigation of the Gestapo, is in any case, as far as I know, favorable throughout. Only I don't believe that this report was submitted to the Reichsfuehrer SS. With best regards and Heil Hitler, Yours very truly, Sigmund Rascher.
We note in this letter that our defendant Blome now looms as a mighty important figure as the man who will get the release of Feix so that Feix can continue to work on the Polygal production.
The Tribunal will recall the testimony of the witness Viehweg, which is on page 431 of the transcript, in regard to the experiments conducted at Dachau with coagulating drugs. I also call to the attention of the Court, the testimony of the witness Stoerr on Page 586 of the transcript. The witness Stoerr stated that blood coagulation experiments were carried out in the crematorium and that one had to assume that the experimental subjects died because nobody over came out alive from the crematorium. I also request the Tribunal to refer to the testimony of the witness Walter Neff on blood coagulation which is contained on page 639 of the transcript.
We turn now to Page 12 of Your Honor's Document Book, Document NO-436 which is offered as Prosecution Exhibit Number 240. This is a report by Rascher. The date on the top is a marginal note, handwritten to Dr. Schri, delivered 20 December 1943. That is not the date of the instrument. This report is from the Institute for Military Scientific Research (Department Dr. Rascher), which, of course, is part of the Ahnenerbe Society. "Polygal 10", a homostat to be administered orally. A hemostat, of course, is a blood coagulant or a blood stopper as we might say. This is by Dr. Sigmund Rascher, Munich, and Dr. Medicine H. Haferkamp, Waltershausen (Thuringia).
A good hemostat has to have the following qualifications:
1. It must be harmless, 2. it must be administered easily (orally), 3. it must not have a bad taste, 4. it must have a deep and long lasting effect on the bleeding and clotting time, 5. alter the effect wears off it must be possible to administer another dose without any danger.
Hemostat now for sale commercially meet these demands only partially. Especially no unobjectionable hemostat is known up to now which is in form of tablets, durable, unimpaired by cold temperatures and therefore easily transportable.
But it would be worthwhile to produce such a preparation whose application would have the following important advantages:
1. It could be given prophylactically to the combat troops before an attack and to air crews before action. Too great a loss of blood could be avoided that way when tending to wounds is delayed; similarly it could be avoided that the wounded become incapacitated by a delay of loss of blood.
2. Before operations in which greater areal bleeding is to be expected it could be used to keep the operational region clear of interfering bleeding.
3. Persons having a high blood clotting time could benefit inestimably from such a remedy in cases of teeth extraction, etc.
4. In severe cases of lung or stomach-hemmorrhage which cannot be treated surgically at once, such a remedy could be life saving.
We believe to have such a remedy in 'Polygal 10', a preparation composed and tested in our institute, which does fulfill the above requirements. 'Polygal 10' is a drug composed on a 'pectin' base; its new method, differentiating it from other homostats on a Pectin basis is to be found in the activation of Pectin before composing it into the hemostat.
Before we tried the clinical use of the drug and had it probed, it was tested on human beings by thorough experiments as to its influence on the period of clotting and bleeding. The period of clotting was occasionally established in short intervals by 10 parallel definitions of free-flowing venous blood according to the method of Buercker. The period of bleeding was measured by a stopwatch after a wound at the ear had been inflicted by a 'Frankeschen Schnepper.'
On the following graphic chart the curves of two experimental persons are displayed (experimental person numbers 200 and 207)
-- which might indicate to Your Honor that they had experimented up to this time up to 207 inmates with this particular inmate--
the depth of decline and the duration of effect correspond to the average.
It is to be mentioned with reference to the curves that various persons were always used for the experiments in order to avoid a possible accumulation of effect by the drug.
The first graphic chart we see shows the use of Polygal on the experimental subject Number 200 and the conditions of experimental subject Number 207.
From the next graphic chart (curve of experimental subject Number 96) it is evident that neither hard physical work nor the absorption of meals are able to exercise a noticeable negative influence on the effect on the drug.
The Document contains that graphic chart number 2 therein. We continue with the last paragraph of the page.
The very low period of clotting and bleeding rises a little and declines heavily later at work; the meal, consisting of white cabbage and potatoes, contained according to the analysis only traces of Pectin, so that the meal itself could not play any part there at.
In itself the present curve is the ideal presentation of the effect of oral absorption of 'Polygal 10' or generalizing, even the ideal curve of the effect of a hemostat. It must be stressed that this curve does not represent a single case, but that we were able to obtain from various experiments a larger number of equivalent curves. It seems to be evident from these curves that the requirements of a hemostat are absolutely realized by 'Polygal 10'.
The eventual changes in the composition of the blood will have to be treated thoroughly in another expose. It is already pointed out here, however, that substantial changes, transgrossing the limits of mistakes in measuring, could not be found.
From the great number of clinical cases, in which we were able to test 'Polygal 10' until now, we would like to choose a few in order to demonstrate briefly the effect in the most varied operations and illnesses.
Case Number 1: These clinical cases were in the hospital at the Dachau Concentration Camp. Male patient, 40 years, amputation of the right upper thigh. The day before the operation a blood transfusion of 500 centimeters was made in preparation of the operation. The day of the operation, the blood pressure was 130/80. I cite from the operational chart: 'It was evident, how slightly the tissue bled. After the first provision of blood for the severed blood vessels carried out in a state of absolute bloodlessness, no further bleeding occurred after the domination of stagnation, so that it was not necessary to put any ligatures on the surface of the muscles, and the adipose tissue or the subcutaneous cellular tissue.' During the period of subsequent treatment the stump did not bleed anymore; before the operation, the surgeon had no knowledge of the use of 'Polygal 10' which had been administered 45 minutes before the operation started.
Case number 2: 42 year old male patient, herniotomy on both sides. Blood pressure before the operation 145/80. Forty minutes before the beginning of the operation one tablet of 'Polygal 10' was administered. According to the statement of the operating surgeon, the drug agreed with the patient as usual, without causing any trouble. In particular, no disagreeable secondary effects occurred on the part of the stomach (narcosis). Bleeding was surprisingly slight. As in all previous operations where 'Polygal 10' had been administered before, it was also in this case only necessary to ligate the bleeding from the blood vessels, but this was necessary only at very few points, namely only where vessels had been injured by the operation.
Thus the favorable effect of 'Polygal 10' for operations does not only consist in the fact that the bleeding is diminished and thus a greater loss of blood avoided, but 'Polygal 10' makes also a considerably quicker operation possible, as the application of clips and the following ligatures require nevertheless a certain time, which can be saved by using 'Polygal 10'.
It goes on with cases 3, 4, and 5, which are in the same theme and which the Tribunal may read, but I won't road them here. I continue on page 17, the next to the last paragraph.
Summary: A report is submitted on a new hemostat based on Pectin and to be administered orally which after a short time causes an extremely strong and long-lasting regular reduction of the bleeding and blood clotting time. The practical tests of this medicine, 'Polygal 10', showed under the most varied circumstances no failures up to now. No contradictory indications on the part of the heart or the circulation could be found, too, as was to be expected considering the composition of the drug.
The idea of this experiment was to draw the attention of a larger circle to this preparation and get results of experiments from other clinics and hospitals. Smaller quantities for experiments are at disposal upon request. Address of author: Dachau 3 K.
I ask the Tribunal to take notice of the address, that is, Dachau, 3-K. Address, Dachau, 3K, is that which witness Viehweg mentioned as the Malaria Station.
The next Document, which is Document No.612, and which I offer as Prosecution's Exhibit No.241, dated 29 November 1943, a letter from the defendant Rudolf Brandt to Wolfram Sievers.
Dear Comrade Sievers:
The matter Polygal No. 10 did not develop as quickly as you and SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher expected. The Reichsfuehrer SS has talked to SS Gruppenfuehrer Professor Dr. Gebhardt. He allowed himself to be convinced that for various reasons it is still necessary to make thorough tests at Hohenlychen which are previously to be discussed by SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher with the competent physician at Hohenlychen and/or SS Gruppenfuehrer Professor Dr. Gebhardt personally. I shall also write a few lines to that effect to SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher and I shall ask him now to remain really objective and cool and not to get excited because things cannot be done as quickly as he originally thought. SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher will furthermore be given the opportunity to get in touch with a competent specialist in Berlin, as far as I know professor Seitz, in order to discuss the whole problem and possibly further experiments.
Heil Hitler!
Yours, R. Brandt, SS Obersturmbannfuehrer.
Here is Gebhardt coming forward and apparently expressing himself quite openly. The report indicates to him that further investigation is necessary. This dated 29 November 1943. We see the position of the defendant Gebhardt, and its connection with Himmler. The investigation got into these experiments and it was suggested and recommended that further experimentations or any other action be taken, and which is a considerable and important figure in this whole picture.
We turn to the next Document, which is Document No.758, and which is to be offered as Prosecution's Exhibit No.242, dated 10 December 1943. It is a teletype addressed to the defendant SS Standartenfuehrer Sievers.
At present at Field Command Office of Reichsfuehrer SS Standartenfuehrer:
Today I had to send the following teletype to SS Obersturmhannfuehrer Dr. Herndorff:
Today I was advised that the protective-custody prisoner Boris Krajac born 25 December 1913 in Kentrida, No. A 8255, is to be released in accordance with writing of 19 November 1943 and to be sent to Berlin RSHA LV C 2. I continue to warmly recommend Krajnc's release, but urgently request that Krajnc not be taken away from me as a worker since he is my best chemist and is in the middle of some work ordered by the Reichsfuehrer SS. Krajnc is, as far as he knows, the only chemist here who can carry the work through pertinently and correctly. I therefore ask that it be arranged to have Krajnc transferred to me as a civilian worker, has employment in my division within the Ahnanerbe Society would follow.
May I respectfully request that this be followed through, since otherwise the theoretical part of the polygal work cannot be carried further because Krajnc is my only organic chemist.
Many thanks.
Heil Hitler
Very respectfully, /s/ S. Rascher
This indicates the position of defendant Sievers -- the importance of how he could retain men to work on the various projects.
We turn now to the next Document, which is Document No.613, and which is to be offered as Prosecution's Exhibit No.243. This is a document which has been initialed with an "R" and followed by "Si", which are the initials of the defendant Sievers, and the "Si", was later crossed out. It is address to Dr. Graue, Manager of Wartime Economic Office in the Reich Research Council.
The letterhead is that of the Institute for Military Scientific Research, Dachau 3 K.
Dear Dr. Graue.
Referring to our conversation of today I beg to answer briefly your questions concerning Polygal.
1.) Extracted slices of sugar beat, apple-pectin as well as Dextrose are used as basic material.
2.) Aim of Polygal, Hemostatic remedy in tablet form, especially useful as a prophylactic hemostyptic. Very important for air crows, actions by shock troops etc. Briefly expressed, advantageous in cases where there is a long period of time between being wounded and having the wound dressed.
3.) Advantages that cannot be secured by other hemostyptics are, the tabletsform, (no Breakable capsules), very simple application: merely let it melt in the mouth and swallow it slowly, lasting effect, 4 - 6 hours, non sensitivity of the remedy to temperature changes.
4.) The remedy is absolutely non-toxic and can therefore be taken frequently without risk of injury. (Absolutely no danger of thrombosis or embolism.)
5.) The price of the ready produced on a large scale works out cheaper than that of those hemostyptics at the present on the market, thus the price question is of no consequence in practice.
With kind regards Heil Hitler!
"R." (followed by "Si" later crossed out).
This document indicates the close contact between the Institute Ahnenerbe and the Reich Research Council, and they all fit in together.
The problems were discussed among the members of both organizations, and the continuation of further programs of these experimentations.
The Document on Page 23 of your Honor's Document Book, Document No.616, which is offered as Prosecution's Exhibit No.244, is a note from the defendant Sievers, dated 10 February 1940.
Note Subject: Publication RASCHER HAFERKANP in the Munich Medical Weekly.
This refers to a report I read a few moments ago, which is Document No.431.
On the occasion of my presence in Munich at the beginning of January, SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher and Dr. Haferkamp informed me about the publication of an article which they wrote together and which they planned for the Munich Medical Weekly.
Dr. Rascher received the necessary authorization from me, as he had left the Luftwaffe and had not yet been taken over by the Waffen-SS and thus had to obtain the authorization from the competent office, namely the "Ahnenerbe". The article planned was also known to the deputy Reichsaerztefuehrer, SA-Gruppenfuehrer Professor Dr. Blome and had met with his approval.
On the margin you will note? "On 15 January I spoke about this to Blome."
Dr. Haferkamp declare that he did not need an authorization as he was leaving the Waffen-SS. On 31 January 1944, a discussion took place between SS Standartenfuehrer Dr. Lolling, SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher and myself. in the course of which Dr. Haferkamp was mentioned. On that occasion, it was discovered that Dr. Haferkamp had not yet left and certainly had to have the authorization of the Reichsarzt-SS for the publication. Following this discussion, I immediately sent this teletype to the Munich Medical Weekly: "Publication RASCHER-HAFERKAMP must by no means take place as HAFERKAMP without prescribed authorization."
On 4 February 1944, I was informed by SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher that the publication had already taken place when my teletype was received.
SIEVERS SS-Standartenfuehrer.
Document No.614, which is offered as Prosecution's Exhibit No.245, is a letter from Dr. Grawitz, who is complaining about the publication of this report.
He severely opposed the publication of this report as he deems it very essential to keep it a secret. This is addressed to:
SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher.
Re.: Your article in No. 3/4 of the Munich Medical Weekly of 28 January 1944.
In the Munich Medical Weekly No. 3/4 of 23 January 1944, there is an article 'Polyal 10' a haemostyotic to be taken per os by Dr. Rascher and Dr. Haferkamp. 'Dachau 3 K' is indicated as the address and human experimental subjects are mentioned in the article.
The publication of scientific treatises is subject to the granting of the authorization to print by the senior professional authority (for SS-physician the Reich Physician SS and Police) as well as by the High Command of the Wehrmacht.
This subjection to censorship is also known to the editorial offices of professional periodicals.
You are requested to let us know why you did not apply for the necessary consent for publication.
Heil Hitler!
/s/ Grawitz.
We turn now to the next Document, Document No. --
THE PRESIDENT: The Tribunal will recess.
(A recess was taken until 1330 hours.)