A. Medical Experiments (continued 4)

On the occasion of administrative conferences he had to attend in Dachau, Sievers met Professor Holzloehner, Dr. Finke, and Rascher who had just finished a freezing experiment. The person experimented on was placed under an arc of light [Lichtbogen]. That is all Sievers saw of this experiment. (German Tr. p. 5684.)

Then Sievers watched a second freezing experiment. Himmler had instructed Professor Hirt of Strasbourg to have a look at Rascher’s work on freezing, since he (Himmler) obviously had come to the conclusion that Rascher alone was not sufficient for the clarification of these scientifically extensive and difficult questions. For this experiment a professional criminal was introduced whom a regular court had sentenced to death for robbery and murder. Sievers and Dr. Hirt made sure about this by examining the files of the criminal police department of the Dachau concentration camp. Dr. Hirt then asked the person to be experimented on whether he realized that the experiment might prove fatal to him. The person to be experimented on answered in the affirmative.

By personally questioning the person to be experimented on, Sievers then made sure that he agreed to the experiment. The person in question answered in the affirmative and added: “If it does not hurt.” This assurance could be given since the experiment was carried out under full narcosis. Sievers did not take part in the entire experiment, but he saw that it was carried out under full narcosis. (German Tr. pp. 5685-86.)

The witness Dr. Punzengruber, at that time an inmate of the Dachau concentration camp and from 1942-1943 assigned to Dr. Rascher’s station as a chemist, confirms that the person used had been condemned to death.

The same witness confirms that Sievers was not present during other freezing experiments. Dr. Punzengruber could establish this because his laboratory was located next to the room where Dr. Rascher carried out his experiments. (Affidavit of Dr. Punzengruber, 14 March 1947.)

A further presence of Sievers at freezing experiments has not occurred and has not been claimed from any side.

In order to prove Sievers’ participation in the freezing experiments, the prosecution pointed out the following documents:

Rascher’s letter of 10 September 1942 to Himmler. “SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers, who observed the experiments in Dachau last week, is of the opinion that if during a convention there would be a report at all, I, too, would have to be called in for reporting.” (NO-234, Pros. Ex. 83.)

Himmler’s letter of 22 September 1942 to Rascher in which the former instructs Rascher to carry out experiments in quick increase of body temperature and increase of body temperature through medicaments and animal heat [medikamentanimalische Erwaermung], Sievers received a copy of this letter for information on 25 September 1942. (1611-PS, Pros. Ex. 85.)

Rascher’s letter of 3 October 1942 to Dr. R. Brandt which contains the information that he (Rascher) had asked Sievers to transmit at once a teletype communication to the camp commander stating that four female gypsies from another camp must be procured immediately; that furthermore he had asked Sievers to take steps to have the low-pressure chamber put at his disposal; he finally mentioned that he informed Sievers about the failure of the planned report to Field Marshal Milch. (NO-285, Pros. Ex. 86.)

Sievers’ note of 6 November 1942 concerning Rascher’s transfer to the SS. (NO-288, Pros. Ex. 95.)

Letter, dated 12 January 1943, from the Reich Chief Manager [Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer] of Ahnenerbe to SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff, concerning Rascher’s transfer to the Waffen SS. (NO-236, Pros. Ex. 101.)

Letter, dated 28 January 1943, from the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe to the personal staff of the Reich Leader SS concerning the taking of Dr. Rascher’s work under the protection of Ahnenerbe in pursuance of Dr. Rascher’s conversation on 13 January 1943 with the Chief Reich Physician [Reichsarzt] of the SS, Dr. Grawitz. (NO-320, Pros. Ex. 103.)

Note, dated 4 February 1943, of the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe concerning Dr. Rascher’s report to the medical inspection [Sanitaetsinspekteur] of the Luftwaffe on his activities since he was declared unassigned [zur Disposition]. Furthermore Rascher should go to SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Professor Dr. Pfannenstiel on 7 February 1943. (NO-238, Pros. Ex. 104.)

Letter, dated 17 May 1943, from Dr. Rascher to the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe concerning Rascher’s statement on his report to SS Gruppenfuehrer Professor Dr. Gebhardt on 14 May 1943. (NO-231, Pros. Ex. 116.)

Letter, dated 22 May 1943, from the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe to Dr. R. Brandt concerning Rascher’s statement on his report to SS Gruppenfuehrer Professor Dr. Gebhardt. (NO-267, Pros. Ex. 117.)

Letter, dated 27 September 1943, from the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe to Dr. Brandt concerning Dr. Rascher’s establishment as a college professor (Habilitation). (NO-229, Pros. Ex. 118.)

Letter, dated 21 March 1944, from the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe to Dr. R. Brandt concerning the establishment of Dr. Rascher as a college professor. (NO-290, Pros. Ex. 121.)

The prosecution furthermore refers to the testimony given on 17 and 18 December 1946 by witness Neff. Neff testified that Sievers frequently was at the experimental station; that during experiments he was present several times; that, however, he could not remember whether Sievers had been present during experiments which ended fatally.

The prosecution furthermore accuses Sievers of having procured female concentration camp inmates to be used in the rewarming experiments [Wiedererwaermungsversuche]. In this connection the following was submitted:

Letter, dated 3 October 1942, from Dr. Rascher to Dr. Brandt: “* * * Today I asked Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers to pass on immediately a teletype communication to the camp commander in which is stated that four female gypsies must be procured from another camp at once.” (NO-285, Pros. Ex. 86.)

Telephone call [Fernspruch] of 7 October 1942 from camp commander Weiss to Dr. Brandt, concerning the putting at the disposal of staff physician [Stabsarzt] Dr. Rascher “of the four women for experimental purposes as ordered by the Reich Leader SS”. (1619-PS, Pros. Ex. 87.)

Teletype communication, dated 8 October 1942, to SS Brigadefuehrer Gluecks, concerning the departure from their original station of “the four women ordered by the Reich Leader SS”.

Dr. Rascher’s report of 5 November 1942 on concentration camp prostitutes [KL-Dirnen]. Refusal, on account of her Nordic racial characteristics, to use one of those women, and corresponding report to the camp commander and to the adjutant of the Reich Leader SS. (NO-323, Pros. Ex. 94.)

Witness Neff estimates that 10 women from the Ravensbrueck concentration camp were put at disposal for experiments with body heat [animalische Waerme]. (German Tr. p. 632.)

The following is to be said to the prosecution’s accusation that Sievers played an important part in procuring female concentration camp inmates to be used for the rewarming of persons used in experiments:

Nowhere, except in the letter, dated 3 October 1942, from Dr. Rascher to Dr. Brandt does there exist any indication that such an assumption might be justified. But this letter only states that Dr. Rascher had asked Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers immediately to pass on to the camp commander a teletype communication reporting that four female gypsies must be procured from another camp at once. (NO-285, Pros. Ex. 86.)

The fact that the order to carry out experiments concerning the increase of temperature through medicaments and body heat [medikamentanimalische Erwaermung] was given by Himmler is proved beyond doubt by 1611-PS, Prosecution Exhibit 85.

Furthermore, I point to the interrogation of Dr. Romberg. (German Tr. pp. 6864-65.)

Sievers claims not to have done anything in this connection since the orders originated with Himmler himself. Consequently there was nothing caused by his own initiative. (German Tr. pp. 5685-86.)

At that time Rascher was at Dachau concentration camp most of the time, while Sievers came there very rarely. Therefore it was much easier for Rascher than for Sievers to inform the camp commander of his wishes.

Rascher refused to use one of the four women for experiments in rewarming through body heat because this woman possessed beyond doubt the characteristics of the Nordic race. Rascher reported this to the camp commander and to the adjutant of the Reich Leader SS. (NO-323, Pros. Ex. 94.) In this connection, too, Sievers did not play any part.

The prosecution furthermore accuses Sievers of taking part in Dr. Rascher’s dry-freezing experiments [Trockenkaelteversuche].

Sievers is not mentioned in the following documents submitted in this connection: NO-319, Pros. Ex. 96; 1579-PS, Pros. Ex. 97; NO-431, Pros. Ex. 99; 1580-PS, Pros. Ex. 107; 1615-PS, Pros. Ex. 109; NO-292, Pros. Ex. 111; NO-240, Pros. Ex. 112; NO-241, Pros. Ex. 113; NO-432, Pros. Ex. 119.

These letters are neither addressed to him nor signed by him. Neither have copies of them reached him nor have they passed through his hands.

The letter, dated 12 January 1943, from the Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer of Ahnenerbe to SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff, contains the following passage: “Since the freezing experiments depend on the season, valuable time is lost as long as Dr. Rascher is not available.” (NO-236, Pros. Ex. 101.)

The witness Neff did not testify that Sievers knew of the dry-freezing experiments [Trockenkaelteversuche].

Sievers knew through Himmler’s order of 13 December 1942, that Rascher was supposed to carry out dry-freezing experiments. (1612-PS, Pros. Ex. 79.) Only during this trial did Sievers come to know that Rascher carried out such experiments in Dachau. Himmler had ordered these experiments to be carried out on the terrain of Berghaus Sudelfeld. They were planned for the winter of 1943-44. Sievers faked inquiries as a result of which the terrain at Sudelfeld was supposed to be unsuited and by this he succeeded in not having the dry-freezing experiments carried out during the winter of 1943-44. The experiments, which Himmler then ordered for the winter of 1944-45, did not take place because Rascher was arrested in the spring of 1944. (German Tr. pp. 5689-90.)

Since the dry-freezing experiments in the mountains, ordered by Himmler, did not take place at all, Sievers can rightfully claim to have helped to prevent them.

The freezing experiments which, beginning at the end of August 1942, were carried out in Dachau concentration camp, originated from a scientific research order the medical inspector [Inspekteur des Sanitaetswesens] of the Luftwaffe had given Stabsarzt Professor Dr. Holzloehner on 24 February 1942. At Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher’s suggestion, corresponding experiments were carried out on human beings. For this research work an experimental group “Seenot” (“Hardships at sea”), consisting of Professor Dr. Holzloehner as chief, and Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher and Dr. Finke, was organized. (NO-286, Pros. Ex. 88; NO-268, Pros. Ex. 106; NO-230, Pros. Ex. 115.) The freezing experiments were carried out in agreement with the Reich Leader SS. (NO-286, Pros. Ex. 88.) In his letter, dated 19 February 1943, the medical inspector of the Luftwaffe thanks the Reich Leader SS for the great help which the cooperation with the SS afforded in carrying out the research work. (NO-268, Pros. Ex. 106.) On 6 March 1943 the medical inspector of the Luftwaffe confirmed in a letter to Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff that he had at once agreed to freezing experiments on human beings. (NO-262, Pros. Ex. 108.)

The prosecution argues that Sievers gave special support to Rascher as a person and thus he revealed that he also wanted to support Rascher’s experiments. Therefore reason exists for comment on Rascher’s personality and Sievers’ attitude toward him.

Dr. Rascher was staff physician (Stabsarzt [Captain, M. C.]) of the Luftwaffe reserve and at the same time a member of the general SS, holding the rank of an SS Hauptsturmfuehrer. In a well-planned scheme he always put this last mentioned position and his direct connection with Himmler in the foreground. Orally or in writing he submitted all his wishes to Himmler; to him directly did he send the reports on his work. He referred to Himmler whenever he wanted to assert himself and his work before other official agencies such as, for example, the Luftwaffe. He appealed to Himmler when the chief physician of the SS [Reichsarzt SS] Dr. Grawitz, and Professor Dr. Gebhardt, did not give him the recognition and the support he believed were due him. Through Himmler he tried to effect his establishment as a university lecturer. (NO-283, Pros. Ex. 82; NO-234., Pros. Ex. 83; NO-320, Pros. Ex. 103; 1616-PS, Pros. Ex. 105; 1580-PS, Pros. Ex. 107; NO-270, Pros. Ex. 110; NO-240, Pros. Ex. 112.)

There can be no doubt that on account of his protection by Himmler he showed an autocratic mind toward his surroundings and also toward his military superiors, brutality toward his inferiors, and disgusting servility toward his protector, Himmler. (German Tr. p. 674.)

In the Dachau concentration camp he was able to move without restrictions and without control by accompanying guards. This was impossible for occasional visitors like Sievers. (German Tr. p. 5672; German Tr. p. 5320; German Tr. pp. 6542-43; German Tr. p. 8620; German Tr. pp. 8697 and 8887-88; Beiglboeck 31, Beiglboeck Ex. 12.)

Holding the rank of a commanding general, the medical inspector of the Luftwaffe deemed it advisable to assure SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff in his letter of 6 March 1943 that he “would discuss the entire problem in old comradeship with Rascher personally.” (NO-262, Pros. Ex. 108.)

A commanding general deemed it advisable to adopt this attitude, contrary to all military customs, toward a staff physician because by this conciliatory attitude, inconceivable under other circumstances, he wanted to avoid a controversy with the latter on account of the latter’s connections with Himmler.

What Rascher thought of Medical Inspector Dr. Hippke’s attitude is revealed in the letter of 14 March 1943 to Dr. Rudolf Brandt in which he states:

“I would like to point out the extraordinary amiability of the inspector and his carefulness in all remarks relating to the SS.” (NO-270, Pros. Ex. 110.)

To make sure that Himmler would under all circumstances be informed about Rascher’s conference with Medical Inspector Hippke, he continues:

“May I respectfully ask to inform, wherever that seems necessary to you, the Reich Leader SS of my report.” (NO-270, Pros. Ex. 110.)

The statement that Witness Dr. Punzengruber made about Rascher is very characteristic:

“His (Rascher’s) connections were so strong that practically every important superior trembled in fear of the intriguing Rascher, who consequently held a position of enormous power.” (Sievers 44, Sievers Ex. 45.)

Rascher’s servility toward Himmler is already revealed by the bombastic phrases with which he closes his letters to Himmler. To give a few examples only:

Letter dated 17 February 1943, from Rascher to Himmler: “With most obedient regards I remain in honest gratitude with Heil Hitler your very devoted S. Rascher.” (1616-PS, Pros. Ex. 105.)

Letter, dated 11 April 1943, from Rascher to Himmler: “With most obedient regards and Heil Hitler I remain always, devoted to you in gratitude, your S. Rascher.” (NO-240, Pros. Ex. 112.)

Letter, dated 10 September 1942, from Rascher to Himmler: “In grateful admiration with Heil Hitler your very devoted S. Rascher.” (NO-234, Pros. Ex. 83.)

The picture of Rascher is completed by the testimony that personally he went to the highest authorities only. (German Tr. p. 7966.)

Sievers is also brought into connection with Dr. Rascher’s attempt to establish himself as a university lecturer.

In his “educational history” [“Ausbildungsverlauf”] Rascher mentions that the Reich Leader SS (Himmler) ordered him to establish himself as a university lecturer with one of his two papers: “Attempts at Rescue from High Altitude” [“Versuche zur Rettung aus grossen Hoehen”] and “Attempts at the Saving of Frozen Humans” [“Versuche zur Rettung ausgekuehlter Menschen”]. (NO-230, Pros. Ex. 115.)

By a letter, dated 12 August 1943, from Dr. Rudolf Brandt of the personal staff of the Reich Leader SS, Sievers is entrusted with this affair. This letter is not at our disposal. On 27 September 1943, that is after more than 6 weeks, Sievers answers that he introduced Rascher to Professor Dr. Blome and SS Brigadefuehrer Mentzel. The former had talked to Professor Dr. Pfannenstiel of Marburg. On 21 March 1944, that is almost 6 months after the letter just mentioned, Sievers reports to Dr. Brandt on the further development of the case of Dr. Rascher’s establishment as a university lecturer. The attempt in Marburg had failed and consequently they would have to try to establish Rascher as a lecturer at Strasbourg University. (NO-290, Pros. Ex. 121.)

Rascher’s arrest freed Sievers from the necessity of taking any further action. The fact that Sievers was involved, as far as the establishment as a university lecturer is concerned, not only in Rascher’s case, is revealed, for example, by Sievers’ 1943 diary, entry of 9 February 1943 concerning the establishment as a lecturer of Dr. Schuetrumpf (NO-538, Pros. Ex. 122); furthermore, entry of 22 February 1943 concerning the establishment as a lecturer of Dr. Rudolph; furthermore, Sievers’ 1944 diary, entry of 22 February 1944, concerning the establishment as a lecturer of Dr. Schmidt-Rohr. (3546-PS, Pros. Ex. 123.)

If, in case of Rascher’s establishment as a lecturer, Sievers was acting only as in other similar cases of members of Ahnenerbe, then this was one of his tasks as Reich manager [Reichsgeschaeftsfuehrer] of Ahnenerbe and he cannot be charged with special activity on Rascher’s behalf.

There is no indication that Sievers had known, before the experiments started, that they could become immoderate or inhuman. Neither as far as planning nor as far as the direction was concerned nor in any other way had Sievers anything to do with the carrying out of the experiments.

Furthermore the question must be answered whether Sievers did not gain knowledge through Rascher’s reports, which he received while the experiments were carried out, of the criminal character of Rascher’s experiments.

The prosecution submitted the following reports of Dr. Rascher: Final report, dated 10 October 1942, of Professor Dr. Holzloehner, Dr. Finke, Dr. Rascher (NO-428, Pros. Ex. 91.) Interim report, dated 15 August 1942, of Dr. Rascher. (1618-PS, Pros. Ex. 84.) Report, dated 17 February 1943, of Dr. Rascher. (1616-PS, Pros. Ex. 105.) These reports were sent by Rascher directly to Himmler as can be ascertained from the documents themselves or from the accompanying letters. None of the documents indicates that a copy of the reports went to the Ahnenerbe or that they came to Sievers’ knowledge in some other way. Sievers denies that he obtained knowledge of these reports.

Sievers did not take part in the conference of 26-27 October 1942, as can be clearly seen from the list of those present. (NO-401, Pros. Ex. 93.) Sievers, also, never received a written report on the conference. Also the secretary of many years’ standing of the Ahnenerbe, the witness, Dr. Gisela Schmitz, has stated that she never saw reports about experiments of Rascher. Since all the incoming mail was delivered first to her she would necessarily have seen any such reports. (Sievers 45, Sievers Ex. 46.) Even if Sievers—as he did not—should have obtained knowledge of one or another of the reports, he cannot be expected to have formed an independent opinion on the permissibility of human experiments from the point of view of medical professional ethics.

Sievers had neither the power nor the opportunity to interfere with the sub-chilling experiments, or to prevent them or bring them to a stop. It must be pointed out again and again that Sievers was competent only for administrative affairs.

Everything that Sievers could do for the prevention of the experiments was done. In the cases of the experiments at Dachau, Sievers’ influence was nil. On the other hand he was able to prevent some experimental activity on Rascher’s part by procrastinating the dry-cold experiments [Trockenkaelteversuche] which should have been carried out in the mountains.

EXTRACT FROM THE CLOSING BRIEF FOR DEFENDANT WELTZ

Document 343-A-PS, Prosecution Exhibit 62, is the only document submitted in this connection [freezing experiments] and mentioning the name of Professor Weltz. It is a letter by Field Marshal Milch, dated 20 May 1942, to SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff, Chief of the Personal Staff, Reich Leader SS. In this letter Field Marshal Milch says that the high-altitude experiments were completed and that there was no real reason for their continuation. The letter continues: “The carrying out of experiments concerning the problem of distress at sea, on the other hand, is important; they were prepared in direct agreement with the authorities. Oberstabsarzt Weltz is instructed to carry them through and Stabsarzt Rascher is also made available for them until further notice.”

Obviously, the prosecution intends to take this letter as basis for the assertion that Professor Weltz participated in the planning and the carrying out of the experiments. At the session of 8 May 1947, (Tr. p. 7237) the prosecutor referred to this letter and drew the conclusion therefrom that Field Marshal Milch, pursuant to the information he had obtained from Professor Hippke on 20 May, thought that Rascher still belonged to the office of Weltz in Munich and that Professor Weltz was entrusted with the carrying out of the freezing experiments for this reason. If and to what extent Field Marshal Milch was informed about the actual events may be left undecided. It is merely established that Professor Hippke already knew at that time that Stabsarzt Rascher no longer belonged to the office of Weltz. This appears with certainty from NO-296, Prosecution Exhibit 58, which is the letter of the Medical Inspector of the Luftwaffe of 27 April 1942 to the Chief of the Personal Staff of the Reich Leader SS, from the reply to Wolff’s application to Hippke of 16 April 1942, in which Wolff asks for the extension of Stabsarzt Rascher’s assignment to the DVL (German Research Institute for Aviation), Dachau Branch. There is, therefore, no doubt that on 20 May 1942, Hippke knew that at that time Rascher no longer belonged to Weltz’ office. How it happened that the name of Professor Weltz was mentioned in this document was established by Professor Hippke’s testimony as witness in the trial against Erhard Milch. (Weltz 3, Weltz Ex. 7.) Professor Hippke testified in this connection that in a discussion at the beginning of June 1942 he was informed by Rascher that the latter had received orders from the Reich Leader SS (Himmler) to carry out freezing experiments. A report on this conference is contained in NO-283, Prosecution Exhibit 82. Supplementing this report, Rascher’s report on his conference with Professor Hippke, Hippke himself testified that he was thinking of Professor Weltz because he knew that Professor Weltz—in his institute in Munich—had been working on problems of freezing with animal experiments. Later, he had abandoned this plan to ask Professor Weltz to cooperate in the carrying out of these experiments because he had become convinced that the theoretical work was not the point but the practical experience on freezing problems and that not Professor Weltz but Professor Holzloehner had the greater practical experience.

However, it has been established that Professor Weltz never received such an order and also that he was not otherwise concerned in any way with the carrying out of the freezing experiments. This is proved by the testimony of the defendant Weltz in his own case, (Tr. 7108-09), and by the affidavit of Professor Weltz’ co-worker Dr. Wendt. (Weltz 23, Weltz Ex. 21.)

For the rest, Weltz’ name does not appear in any connection in any of the numerous documents relating to the problem of freezing experiments submitted by the prosecution. On the contrary, these documents show clearly who from the Luftwaffe was actually ordered to carry out these experiments and who carried them out in Dachau.

The fact that Professor Weltz was not even requested to participate in the planning of the freezing experiments, appears clearly from Document NO-283, Prosecution Exhibit 82, already discussed, and above all without objection.

That Professor Weltz refused to participate in the experiments after he learned about them was firmly established on the other hand by the evidence submitted by the defense which in turn is supported by the documents submitted by the prosecution. Document 1610-PS, Prosecution Exhibit 73, submitted by the prosecution appears to have special weight as evidence in this connection. It is Rascher’s letter to Himmler of 9 October 1942. In this letter Rascher asks Himmler to see to it that the apparatus necessary for chemical analysis be put at his disposal by laboratories not working to full capacity. He points to the fact that the Weltz Institute does not make apparatus available to him, as it was allegedly used there for freezing experiments with shaved cats, and the institute needed these apparatus for its own use. Moreover, the affidavit of the witness Dr. v. Werz (Weltz 4, Weltz Ex. 11) according to which Professor Weltz refused to furnish apparatus for freezing experiments at Dachau, further proves this disapproval on the part of Professor Weltz of the freezing experiments carried out at Dachau. Moreover, it appears also from NO-3674, Prosecution Exhibit 549. Here, an attempt is made to procure the apparatus (colorimeter) which was not delivered by Weltz from somewhere else. From 1609-PS, Prosecution Exhibit 92, it becomes apparent to what danger Professor Weltz exposed himself by his attitude against Rascher. It is a letter of the Reich Leader SS of 24 October 1942 to Rascher. In it Himmler acknowledges the receipt of Rascher’s letter, dated 9 October 1942, (1610-PS, Pros. Ex. 73) mentioned above in which Rascher complains about Professor Weltz’ attitude. In reply to this complaint Himmler writes:

“People who today still disapprove of human experiments and would rather have German soldiers die of the consequences of freezing I consider to be guilty of treason and high treason, and I shall have no compunction to report the names of these gentlemen to the authorities concerned. You are authorized by me to inform the offices concerned of this of my opinion.”

From Sievers’ testimony in direct interrogation it appears, unequivocally, that this referred to Professor Weltz. In this regard Sievers declared the following: “I can only say this in respect to Weltz himself, for Herr Rascher, as I already stated in reply to your question, mentioned in this connection Weltz as a participant.”

The defendant Sievers also declared that in view of Rascher’s character, as known to him, it could be expected that Rascher would make use of the powers given him with respect to “those guilty of treason and high treason,” among others also against Professor Weltz.

In the course of the cross-examination of Weltz the prosecution intimated in a veiled manner that Professor Weltz might have moved objects and files or might have put apparatus at the disposal of the Dachau experiments.

Since the prosecution could not submit evidence of any weight in this respect it is unnecessary to go into this. In the cross-examination itself it became apparent that all the files and apparatus were in existence at the end of the war and that Weltz himself had made suggestions to hand over his institute in an orderly manner to the Americans. (Tr. pp. 7241-7242.)

d. Evidence

Prosecution Documents

Pros.

Doc. No.Ex. No.Description of DocumentPage

NO-234 83Letter from Rascher to Himmler, 10 September 1942, transmitting intermediate report on freezing experiments (1618-PS).219

1618-PS 84Intermediate report, 10 September 1942, on intense chilling experiments in Dachau concentration camp.220

1611-PS 85Letter from Himmler to Rascher and Sievers, 22 September 1942, ordering rewarming in freezing experiments through physical warmth.221

NO-285 86Letter from Rascher to Rudolf Brandt, 3 October 1942, stating that Sievers would obtain four gypsy women for rewarming through body warmth.221

1619-PS 87Teletype from commandant of Dachau concentration camp to Rudolf Brandt, 7 October 1942, stating that four women would be available from Ravensbrueck concentration camp for Rascher’s experiments.223

NO-286 88Letter from Goering’s office to Himmler, 8 October 1942, with attached invitation to the conference on “Medical Problems Arising from Hardships of Sea and Winter.”223

1613-PS 90Letter from Rascher to Himmler, 16 October 1942, transmitting report on cooling experiments on human beings (NO-428).225

NO-428 91Report of 10 October 1942, on cooling experiments on human beings.226

1609-PS 92Letter from Himmler to Rascher, 24 October 1942, and note by Rudolf Brandt.244

NO-323 94Memorandum of Rascher on women used for rewarming warming in freezing experiments, 5 November, 1942.245

NO-320103Letter from Sievers to Brandt, 28 January 1943, and Rascher’s report on his discussions with Grawitz and Poppendick.246

1616-PS105Letter from Rascher to Himmler, 17 February 1943, and summary of experiments for rewarming of chilled human beings by animal warmth, 12 February 1943.249

NO-268106Letter from Hippke to Himmler, 19 February 1943, on freezing experiments in Dachau.252

1580-PS107Letter from Himmler to Rascher, 26 February 1943, on freezing experiments in the concentration camps Auschwitz and Lublin.253

NO-292111Letter from Rascher to Rudolf Brandt, 4 April 1943, reporting on dry-freezing experiments in Dachau.253

NO-322114Letter from Rascher to Keindl, 28 April 1943, about previous freezing experiments conducted at Sachsenhausen.254

NO-231116Letter from Rascher to Sievers, 17 May 1943, concerning a conference with Gebhardt on freezing experiments.255

NO-432119Letter from Rascher to Neff, 21 October 1943, concerning dry-freezing experiments.258

NO-690120List of research projects from the files of the Reich Research Council.259

Testimony

Extracts from the testimony of Tribunal witness Walter Neff260

Extract from the testimony of defendant Handloser265

Extract from the testimony of defendant Schroeder269

Extracts from the testimony of defendant Sievers274

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-234

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 83

LETTER FROM RASCHER TO HIMMLER, 10 SEPTEMBER 1942, TRANSMITTING INTERMEDIATE REPORT ON FREEZING EXPERIMENTS (1618-PS)

Dr. med. Sigmund Rascher Munich, Trogerstr. 56

at present Berlin, 10 Sep 1942

My dear Reich Leader,

May I submit in the enclosure the first intermediary report about the freezing experiments?

In the beginning of October, a meeting on the subject of freezing experiments is to take place. Professor Dr. Holzloehner, participating in our Dachau experiments on behalf of the Luftwaffe, wants to give on this occasion an account of the results of our experiments. SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers, who surveyed the experiments in Dachau last week, believes that if any report was to be made at a meeting, I should be called upon to submit the report. A discussion with other experts on freezing experiments would surely be very valuable. I therefore request your decision.

1. Can a report be made elsewhere before the oral report has been submitted to you, my Reich Leader?

2. Is my participation in the conference on the subject of the freezing experiments of the Luftwaffe ordered by you, my Reich Leader?

I will take care that the report is submitted in the manner appropriate for top secret matter.

Yours gratefully and respectfully

Heil Hitler!

[Signed] Yours very devotedly, S. Rascher

1 enclosure

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1618-PS

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 84

INTERMEDIATE REPORT, 10 SEPTEMBER 1942, ON INTENSE CHILLING EXPERIMENTS IN DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP

S. Rascher

Intermediate report on intense chilling experiments in the Dachau Camp, started on 15 August 1942

Experimental procedure

The experimental subjects (VP) were placed in the water, dressed in complete flying uniform, winter or summer combination, and with an aviator’s helmet. A life jacket made of rubber or kapok was to prevent submerging. The experiments were carried out at water temperatures varying from 2.5° to 12°. In one experimental series, the occiput (brain stem) protruded above the water, while in another series of experiments the occiput (brain stem) and back of the head were submerged in water.

Electrical measurements gave low temperature readings of 26.4° in the stomach and 26.5° in the rectum. Fatalities occurred only when the brain stem and the back of the head were also chilled. Autopsies of such fatal cases always revealed large amounts of free blood, up to one-half liter, in the cranial cavity. The heart invariably showed extreme dilation of the right chamber. As soon as the temperature in these experiments reached 28°, the experimental subjects died invariably, despite all attempts at resuscitation. The above discussed autopsy finding conclusively proved the importance of a warming protective device for head and occiput when designing the planned protective clothing of the foam type.

Other important findings, common in all experiments, should be mentioned, marked increase of the viscosity of the blood, marked increase of hemoglobin, an approximate five-fold increase of the leukocytes, invariable rise of blood sugar to twice its normal value. Auricular fibrillation made its appearance regularly at 30°.

During attempts to save severely chilled persons [Unterkuehlte], it was shown that rapid rewarming was in all cases preferable to slow rewarming, because after removal from the cold water, the body temperature continued to sink rapidly. I think that for this reason we can dispense with the attempt to save intensely chilled subjects by means of animal heat.

Rewarming by animal warmth—animal bodies or women’s bodies—would be too slow. As auxiliary measures for the prevention of intense chilling, improvements in the clothing of aviators come alone into consideration. The foam suit with suitable neck protector which is being prepared by the German Institute for the Textile Research, Munich-Gladbach, deserves first priority in this connection. The experiments have shown that pharmaceutical measures are probably unnecessary if the flier is still alive at the time of rescue.

[Signed] Dr. S. Rascher

Munich—Dachau, 10 September 1942.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1611-PS

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 85

LETTER FROM HIMMLER TO RASCHER AND SIEVERS, 22 SEPTEMBER 1942, ORDERING REWARMING IN FREEZING EXPERIMENTS THROUGH PHYSICAL WARMTH

Secret

Reich Leader SS

Rf/Dr. AR/19/30/42

Personal Headquarters

Reich Leader SS

22 September 1942

1. Dr. Rascher

Munich—Dachau

I have received the intermediate report on the chilling experiments in Camp Dachau.

Despite everything, I would so arrange the experiments that all possibilities, prompt warming, medicine, body warming, will be executed in positive experiment orders.

[Signed] H. Himmler

2. SS—Lt. Col. Sievers

Berlin

A carbon copy with the request for acknowledgment.

SS Lt. Col.

25 Sep 42

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-285

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 86

LETTER FROM RASCHER TO RUDOLF BRANDT, 3 OCTOBER 1942, STATING THAT SIEVERS WOULD OBTAIN FOUR GYPSY WOMEN FOR REWARMING THROUGH BODY WARMTH

Dr. med. Sigmund Rascher; Munich, Trogerstr. 56, 3 October 42

Most honored Obersturmbannfuehrer!

First of all I want to thank you very much for “Das glaeserne Meer” (“The Glass Ocean”). My wife and myself are very happy to possess now a complete set of these books. I have already read the book with great interest.

The Reich Leader SS wants to be informed of the state of the experiments. I can announce that the experiments have been concluded, with the exception of those on warming with body heat. The final report will be ready in about 5 days. Professor Holzloehner, for reasons that I cannot fathom, does not himself want to make the report to the Reich Leader Himmler and has asked me to attend to it. This report must be made before 20 October, because the great Luftwaffe conference on freezing takes place in Nuernberg on 25 October. The report on the results of our research must be made there, to assure that they be used in time for the troops. May I ask you to arrange for a decision from the Reich Leader regarding the final report to him, and the submission to him of the relevant material?

Today I received your letter of 22 September 1942, in which the Reich Leader orders that the experiments on warming through body heat must absolutely be conducted. Because of incomplete address it was delayed. Today I asked Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers to send a telegram to the camp commander immediately, to the effect that four gypsy women be procured at once from another camp. Moreover, I asked SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers to take steps to have the low-pressure chamber made ready for use.

The report to Field Marshal Milch planned for 11 September could not be made, as you have discovered, because he was prevented from attending, and no representative was commissioned to receive it. As the Reich Leader had not empowered me to report to anyone in the Reich Air Ministry (RLM), I abstained from making the report, which rather nettled the gentlemen of the Medical Inspectorate [Sanitaetsinspektion]. I immediately informed Obersturmbannfuehrer Sievers. For the time being the report is being held as a military secret at the German Aviation Research Institute (DVL) together with a distribution list prepared by the Reich Air Ministry. The distribution of the copies, however, has not yet taken place, because, as I said, the report has not yet been made to Milch. I assume that you were informed of this whole business long ago. What shall we do now?

I wish to enclose a letter of thanks to the Reich Leader from the former prisoner Neff. At the same time I should like to thank you very much for your efforts; and let me beg you, should opportunity offer, to convey to the Reich Leader my most sincere thanks for his granting of this request. I did not write to the Reich Leader in person, in order not to make any further demands on his valuable time.

With best wishes and

Heil Hitler!

Yours most sincerely

[Signed] S. Rascher.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1619-PS

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 87

TELETYPE FROM COMMANDANT OF DACHAU CONCENTRATION CAMP TO RUDOLF BRANDT, 7 OCTOBER 1942, STATING THAT FOUR WOMEN WOULD BE AVAILABLE FROM RAVENSBRUECK CONCENTRATION CAMP FOR RASCHER’S EXPERIMENTS

Reich Security Main Office (RSHA) Message Center

CONCENTRATION CAMP DACHAU 9793 7 OCTOBER 1942 1630-FR-

TO SS OBERSTURMBANNFUEHRER DR. BRANDT BERLIN PRINZ ALBRECHT STR. 8. THE HEADQUARTERS CONCENTRATION CAMP DACHAU REQUESTS CHIEF OF THE AMTSGRUPPE SS BRIGADEFUEHRER GLUECKS TO HAVE THE FOUR WOMEN ORDERED BY THE REICH LEADER SS FOR STABSARZT DR. RASCHER FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPERIMENTS SENT IMMEDIATELY FROM RAVENSBRUECK TO DACHAU.

SIGNED WEISS, SS STURMBANNFUEHRER AND COMMANDANT OF THE CAMP.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-286

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 88

LETTER FROM GOERING’S OFFICE TO HIMMLER, 8 OCTOBER 1942, WITH ATTACHED INVITATION TO THE CONFERENCE ON “MEDICAL PROBLEMS ARISING FROM HARDSHIPS OF SEA AND WINTER”

The Reich Air Minister

and Commander in chief

of the Luftwaffe

Az: 55 No. 5 340/secret/42 (L. I. 14, 2IIB)

Berlin W 8, 8 October 1942

Leipziger Strasse 7

By Messenger!

Subject: Research order on Freezing [Abkuehlung].

Reference:1. D. R. d. L. and Ob. d. L. Ch. d. Lw. L. In. 14 Az: 55 No. 20058/41 (2II B) dated: 24/2/42

2. D. R. d. L. and Ob. d. L. Ch. d. Lw. L. In. 14 Az: 21 o-r No. 10909/42 (1 II A) dated: 6/8/42

To the Reich Leader SS

The Inspectorate of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe has given an order for research to the Stabsarzt Professor Dr. Holzloehner, reference above, dated 24 February 1942, for work on the following problem:

“The effect of freezing on warm-blooded subjects.”

At the proposal of Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher appropriate examinations were made of human beings, and in agreement with the Reich Leader SS suitable SS facilities were used for the examinations.

In order to carry out these examinations a research group “Hardships at Sea” (“Seenot”) was set up, consisting of Professor Dr. Holzloehner as leader and Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher and Dr. Finke.

The leader of this research group reported that the examinations have been concluded.

It is intended to dissolve the research group at the latest by 15 October 1942.

The research documents and an extensive report will be presented to the Reich Leader SS by Stabsarzt Dr. Rascher. It is requested that the originals or copies of the report and of the documents be put at the disposal of the Inspectorate of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe.

It is intended to make the results, in the form of an extract, accessible to experts at a conference which will take place in Nuernberg on 26 and 27 October 1942. The agenda schedule of the conference is closed.

The SS Central Office, Medical Department [SS Hauptamt, Sanitaetsamt] has been invited to this discussion by letter, dated 30 September 1942.

It is further requested to abstain from forwarding the documents and the report to other nonmedical offices.

Draft signed [Im Entwurf gez.]

By order

Wullen

True Copy

[Signature] Anthony

1 enclosure

[Enclosure]

The Inspector of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe

Conference on “Medical Problems Arising from Hardships of Sea and Winter” on 26 and 27 October 1942 in Nuernberg, Hotel “Der Deutsche Hof,” 29-35 Frauentorgraben. Chairman of the conference: Stabsarzt Professor Dr. Anthony, L. In. 14.

Tentative schedule:

26 October 1942.

15.35 o’clock—Oberstabsarzt Dr. Weltz:

“Warming Up after Freezing to the Danger Point”.

15.55 o’clock—Stabsarzt Professor Holzloehner:

“Prevention and Treatment of Freezing.”

16.40 o’clock—Discussion.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1613-PS

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 90

LETTER FROM RASCHER TO HIMMLER, 16 OCTOBER 1942, TRANSMITTING REPORT ON COOLING EXPERIMENTS ON HUMAN BEINGS (NO-428)

Dr. Sigmund Rascher

Munich 16 October 42

Troger Str. 56

Highly esteemed Reich Leader!

Permit me to submit the attached final report on the super-cooling experiments performed at Dachau. This report does not contain the course and results of a series of experiments with drugs as well as experiments with animal body heat [animalische Waerme] which are now being conducted. Likewise this report does not contain the microscopic pathological examinations of the brain tissues of the deceased. I was surprised at the extraordinary microscopic findings in this field. I will carry out experiments before the start of the conference in which the effect of cooling will be discussed and I hope to be able to present further results by that time. My two coworkers left Dachau about 8 days ago.

In the hope that you, highly esteemed Reich Leader, will be able to spare a quarter of an hour to listen to an oral report, I remain, with the most obedient regards and

Heil Hitler!

Yours respectfully.

[Signed] S. Rascher.

PARTIAL TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-428

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 91

REPORT OF 10 OCTOBER 1942, ON COOLING EXPERIMENTS ON HUMAN BEINGS

Stabsarzt Prof. Dr. E. Holzloehner

Stabsarzt Dr. S. Rascher

Stabsarzt Dr. E. Finke

I. Problem of the Experiment

Up to the present time there has been no basis for the treatment of shipwrecked persons who have been exposed for long periods of time to low-water temperatures. These uncertainties extended to the possible physical and pharmacological methods of attack. It was not clear, for example, whether those who had been rescued should be warmed quickly or slowly. According to the current instructions for treating frozen people, a slow warming up seemed to be indicated. Certain theoretical considerations could be adduced for a slow warming. Well-founded suggestions were missing for a promising medicinal therapy.

All these uncertainties rested in the last analysis upon the absence of well-founded concepts concerning the cause of death by cold in human beings. In the meantime, in order to clarify this question, a series of animal experiments were started. And, indeed, these officials who wished to make definite suggestions to the doctors in the sea-rescue service had to assume a great deal of responsibility if it came to a question of convincing and consistent results in these animal experiments. At this particular point it is especially difficult to carry the findings in animals over into the human field. In the warm-blooded, one finds a varied degree of development in the heat-regulating mechanism. Besides this, the processes in the skin of the pelted animals cannot be carried over to man.

II. General Procedure of the Experiment

The effect of water temperatures of 2°, 3°, to 12° C. [34°, 37°, to 54° F.] were investigated. A tank 2×2×2 m. [6-2/3×6-2/3×6-2/3 ft.] served as an experimental basin. The water temperature was attained by addition of ice, and remained constant during the experiment. The experimental subjects were generally dressed in equipment such as the flier wears, consisting of underclothing, uniform, a one piece summer or winter protective suit, helmet, and aviators fur-lined boots. In addition they wore a life preserver of rubber or kapok. The effect of additional protective clothing against water-cold was tested in a special series of experiments, and in another series the cooling of the unclothed person was studied.

The bodily warmth was measured thermoelectrically. Following preliminary experiments in which gastric temperatures were measured by a thermic sound, we adopted the procedure of continuously registering rectally the body temperature [Kerntemperatur]. Parallel with this, the recording of the skin temperature was undertaken. The point of measurement was the skin of the back at the level of the fifth thoracic certebral process. The thermoelectrical measurements were controlled before, during, and after the experiments by thermometric tests of the cheek and rectal temperature.

In severe cooling, checking of the pulse is difficult. The pulse becomes weaker, the musculature become stiff, and shivering sets in. Auscultation during the experiment by means of a tube stethoscope fastened over the tip of the heart proved effective. The tubes were led out of the uniform and made possible the continuous listening to the heart during the stay in the water.

Electrocardiographic controls were not possible in the water. After removal from the water they were possible only in those cases in which, a too severe muscle shivering did not disturb the electrocardiograph records.

The following chemical studies were carried out: following up of the blood sugar picture (continuous); the sodium chloride picture in the serum; the nonprotein nitrogen (Rest-N); the alkali reserve; the alkali reserve of the venous and arterial blood and sedimentation rate (before and after the experiment). Besides this the general blood condition and viscosity were followed during the experiment, and before and after the experiment the resistance of the red blood cells and the protein content of the blood plasma (this refractometrically) were measured.

The following urinalyses were made regularly: sediment, albumen, sugar, sodium chloride, acetone, acetic acid, as well as a qualitative albumen determination.

In part of the experiment lumbar and suboccipital punctures were made as well as corresponding spinal fluid studies.

Among physical and therapeutic measures the following were tested:

a. Rapid warming by means of a hot bath.

b. Warming by means of a light cradle.

c. Warming in a heated sleeping bag.

d. Vigorous massage of the whole body.

e. Wrapping in covers.

f. Diathermy of the heart.

In addition the following drugs were given: Strophanthin i. v.; Cardiaz 1 i. v. and i. c.; Lobelin and Coramin i. v. and i. c. In other experiments alcohol or grape sugar was given.

A part of the experiments was begun under narcosis (8 cc. Evipan i. v.).

III. The Clinical Picture of Cooling

The clinical picture as well as the behavior of the body temperature showed certain regularities in the general course; the time of appearance of certain phenomena was, however, subject to very great individual variations. As one might expect, a good general physical condition delayed the cooling and the concomitant phenomena. Further differences were conditioned by the position of the subject in the water and the manner of clothing. Furthermore, differences showed up between experiments in which the subject lay horizontally in the water so that the nape of the neck and the back of the head were splashed with water, and others in which neck and head protruded freely out of the water.

Peculiarly, the actual water temperatures between 2° C. and 12° C. [35° and 54° F.] had no demonstrable effect upon the rate of the cooling. Naturally such an effect must exist. But since besides the already mentioned individual differences and those due to experimental conditions, the various subjects cooled on different days at different rates of speed, the effect of the actual water temperatures between 2° and 12° disappears behind such variations.

If the experimental subject was placed in the water under narcosis, one observed a certain arousing effect. The subject began to groan and made some defensive movements. In a few cases a state of excitation developed. This was especially severe in the cooling of head and neck. But never was a complete cessation of the narcosis observed. The defensive movements ceased after about 5 minutes. There followed a progressive rigor, which developed especially strongly in the arm musculature; the arms were strongly flexed and pressed to the body. The rigor increased with the continuation of the cooling, now and then interrupted by tonic-clonic twitchings. With still more marked sinking of the body temperature it suddenly ceased. These cases ended fatally, without any successful results from resuscitation efforts.

In the course of the narcosis experiments the evipan effects in a few cases went directly over into a cold narcosis; in other cases one could determine a transitory return of consciousness, immediately following the awakening effect already described; at any rate, the experimental subjects were dizzy. Cold pain was not expressed.

Experiments without narcosis showed no essential differences in the course of cooling. Upon entry into the water a severe cold shuddering appeared. The cooling of the neck and back of the head was felt as especially painful, but already after 5 to 10 minutes a significant weakening of the pain sensation was observable. Rigor developed after this time in the same manner as under narcosis, likewise the tonic-clonic twitchings. At this point speech became difficult because the rigor also affected the speech musculature.

Simultaneously with the rigor a severe difficulty in breathing set in with or without narcosis. It was reported that, so to speak, an iron ring was placed about the chest. Objectively, already at the beginning of this breathing difficulty, a marked dilatation of the nostrils occurred. The expiration was prolonged and visibly difficult. This difficulty passed over into a rattling and snoring breathing. However, the breathing at this point was not especially deep as in Kussmaul’s breathing nor were any Cheyne-Stokes breathing or Biot’s breathing to be observed. Not in all subjects, but in a great number, a simultaneous hindering during this breathing through very profuse secretion of mucous could be established. Under these conditions sometimes a white, fine-bubbled foam appeared at the mouth which reminded one of an incipient lung oedema, though it was not possible to determine this symptom with certainty by clinical auscultation; only a sharpened unclean breath sound was audible. This foam might occur early, that is, at rectal temperatures of 32° C. to 35° C.; [90°-95° F.]. No special significance was to be attributed to this regarding the outcome of the experiment which is the opposite of the described relaxation of rigor. The rate of breathing increased at the beginning of the experiment, but after about 20 minutes it decreased to something like 24 per minute with slight variations.

In general a definite dulling of consciousness occurred at the dropping of the body temperature of 31° C. [88° F.] rectal temperature. Next, the subjects still responded to speech but finally answered very sleepily. The pupils dilated markedly. The contraction under light became increasingly weaker. The gaze was directed overhead with a compulsive fixation. After withdrawal from the water an increase in the reflexes was evident in spite of the rigor, and regularly a very marked drawing up of the testicles occurred which practically disappeared into the abdomen. Early in the experiment the face was pale. After 40 to 50 minutes cyanosis appeared. With this the face appeared redder, the mucous membrane bluish-red. The skin veins were not maximally collapsed and were virtually always penetrable.

The heart activity showed a constant change independent of all other individual variations, which was noticeable in all subjects. Upon introduction into the water with narcotized subjects as well as nonnarcotized subjects, the heart rate went suddenly to about 120 per minute. At a rectal body temperature of about 34° C. [93° F.] it then began to become increasingly slower and to sink continuously to about 50 per minute.

The bradycardia at a body temperature of about 29° to 30° C. [84° to 86° F.] changed suddenly to an arrythmia perpetua or, as the case may be, to a total irregularity and this began with a slow form of about 50 beats per minute; this slow form of irregularity could be transformed into a faster one. The transformation to the faster form was not an unfavorable sign regarding life.

When an electrocardiographic control after the experiment was possible, it regularly showed a Vorhof flutter. Let it be anticipated that this irregularity could continue to exist after the cessation of the cooling and a recovery of the body temperature to 33° or 34° C. [91° or 93° F.] 1½ to 2 hours after removal from the water, but then customarily changed of itself and without therapeutic aids into a coordinated heart activity. In the same way let it be anticipated that in all cases with a lethal termination, a sudden cessation of the heartbeat ensued upon an irregularity of the slow type.

A check of the blood pressure was attempted, but was in no case satisfactory since an exact measurement was not possible in the decisive stage of the experiment because of the severe rigor and muscle fibrillation.

Reference has already been made to individual differences in the behavior of the rectal temperatures. Figure 4 gives an example which includes four experiments, in which four different experimental subjects were cooled at identical water temperatures and with identical clothing. It was shown that in water at 4.5° C. [40° F.] temperature the time required for reaching a rectal temperature of about 29.5° C. [85° F.] varies between 70 and 90 minutes. But nevertheless the diagram shows that in spite of these individual differences, it is observable that the progress of the rectal temperature proceeds according to rule. The body temperature begins to sink rapidly from about 35° C. [95°-97° F.].

It is of very great practical significance at this point that the body temperature continues to sink virtually lineally for a considerable time after removal from the water. This continued drop can last 20 minutes or more. During this drop an after-drop of 4° C. [7° F.] could be observed, and indeed not only at temperatures under 30° C. [86° F.]. In one case it was observed that an interruption of the experiment at 35° C. [95° F.] after a further lapse of 20 minutes the rectal temperature had fallen 4° to 5° C. [8° F.] more. We will later discuss the “arresting” of this after-drop by physical measures.

In our experimental series, the lowest rectal temperatures which could be survived varied individually just as did the progress of the temperature drop. In general (in six cases) death occurred with a drop in temperature to values between 24.2° and 25.7° C. [75.6° and 77.6° F.]. In one case, however, a drop to 25.2° C. was survived. This experiment fell outside the typical picture insofar as after 90 minutes at 26.6° C. [79.9° F.] a virtually stationary condition of the rectal temperature had become established for 85 minutes. We will come back again to this special experiment.

The skin temperature sinks or drops much more rapidly than the rectal temperature. Within a minute there occurs a thorough saturation of the articles of clothing. Correspondingly the skin temperature falls already within 5 minutes to values between 24° and 19° C. [75° and 66° F.]. After 10 minutes it may have already dropped to 12° C. [54° F.]. Within 10 to 20 minutes more after the beginning of the experiment the steepness of the drop changes considerably. The curve of the skin temperature runs for some time, that is, for 15 to 30 minutes virtually horizontal. After this time there follows a further but now slower drop to the lowest figures, which may lie below 15° C. [59° F.] at the close of the experiment.

Parallel experiments which compare the course of the rectal temperatures and the cooling of the body with and without submersion of neck and back of head showed great difference in temperature drop. The curves pertain to the same experimental subject. The one with the deep fall to 26° C. [79° F.] in 70 minutes was obtained with a water temperature of 12° C. [54° F.] the other with a drop to 32.5° C. [90.4° F.] in the same time resulted from a water temperature of 5.5° C. [41.9° F.]. The very marked difference cannot be explained by a variation in resistance of the particular person, but is to be attributed to the position of the subject in the water and his head covering. In the experiment with the water at 12° C. [54° F.] the subject, in a kapok life preserver, lay flat in the water so that his neck and the back of his head were well submerged; beyond this he did not wear a flier’s helmet. In the other experiment with water at 5.5° C. [41.9° F.] the head was covered with an aviator’s summer helmet without headphones. The subject wore a rubber life preserver open at the back; with this, the head is somewhat out of the water.

In order to follow up the effect of isolated cooling of the neck and the back of the head on consciousness, body temperature, and circulation, this was undertaken in three special experiments. The experimental subject lay horizontal; the back of the head and the neck were dipped into a receptacle through which water of corresponding temperature was continuously run. In an experiment of 3 hours duration there occurred small temperature drops of not more than 0.8° C. [1.4° F.]. The water temperature was 1° to 2° C. [34° to 35° F.]. In one case after 50 minutes a marked sleepiness occurred which changed over into a deep narcosis. The heart activity was variable, and obvious bradycardia could not be observed. Irregularity never developed. Changes were not seen in the electrocardiograph. On the other hand in all three subjects the spinal fluid pressure was markedly increased after the ending of the experiment to maximal values of 300 mm. After the experiment, ataxia and definite Romberg phenomena were observed, as well as exaggeration of the normal reflexes; pathological reflexes were absent.

IV. Blood, Spinal Fluid, and Urine During Freezing

The differential blood smears showed no special features during cooling. On the other hand the number of white and red blood corpuscles shows a regular change. The number of leukocytes rapidly increases, roughly with the beginning of the steeper temperature drop at about 35° C. [95° F.] rectal temperature to values of from 25,000 to 27,000 per cu. mm. After one hour a maximum may be reached and a falling-off begins in the number of leukocytes, while the body temperature falls still further. The number of red corpuscles undergoes an increase, though to a relatively small degree, which in its course resembles the change in the number of leukocytes. We saw increases up to 20 percent. This increase is interrupted even earlier than the increase in the number of leukocytes, so that both curves give no reflection of the temperature curve. The increase of the erythrocytes corresponded to the increase of the hemoglobin of from 10 to 20 percent. A reduction of the fragility of the red corpuscles could not be demonstrated with certainty, on the other hand, although in three experiments a definite hemolysis occurred.

The viscosity regularly increases with the beginning of the fall in temperature. The rise can reach values up to 7.8. This rise occurs very early, indeed, already at body temperatures of 35° C. [95° F.]. After that the values remain relatively constant with further temperature falls. The albumen content of the plasma was likewise increased after the experiment, on the average by 1 percent of the absolute value. Since these measurements could not be made as often as those of viscosity for technical reasons, the connection with the progress of the viscosity remained unclear. Such a connection could not be recognized from the absolute values obtained.

With the acceleration of the temperature drop, there always occurs a more marked increase of the blood sugar to maximal values which may attain an average increase of 80 percent and in a few cases may reach an increase of over 100 percent. According to that, the maximal value of about 27.5° C. [81.5° F.] is reached and is maintained for some time. It is to be observed that as long as the temperature drop continues, in no experiment was it possible to observe a decrease in these high blood sugar values. It is usually to be observed that a relatively rapid drop of the blood sugar values sets in when, after removal from the water, the temperature drop ceases and goes over into a temperature rise. We consider these findings to be of theoretical significance. During the isolated cooling of the neck and back of the head which was described in section III the blood sugar remained constant.

In striking contrast to the increase of the blood sugar, there was never established a corresponding glycosuria in the urine collected immediately after the experiment or withdrawn through a catheter, although considerable quantities of urine averaging 500 cc. were found in the bladder; in only two cases could traces of sugar (0.5 percent) be demonstrated. This paradoxical behavior can, perhaps, be explained in this manner: during the time of great blood sugar increase, a blocking of the kidneys had occurred, and that the associated urine quantities were formed before or after this blocking under reflex polyuria. Acetone and acetic acid, likewise, could not be demonstrated in the urine.

The alkali reserve in the arterial and venous blood was regularly very much reduced at the end of the experiments. Experiments concerning oxygen saturation could not be carried out. According to the color of the venous blood withdrawn from the arm veins, the saturation of this blood must have been very greatly reduced; the blood was virtually black as it came into the syringe. Noteworthy in this connection are the autopsy findings which were undertaken directly after death. In these, the blood in the right heart appeared very dark, and in the left heart very bright red. According to this, one must calculate upon an increase in the saturation differential between the arteries and veins.

Sodium chloride and nonprotein nitrogen in the blood were not clear in the blood at the end of the experiments or increased within the limit of error. Sodium chloride in the urine was generally less, corresponding to a reduction of the specific gravity. On the other hand at the end of the experiments traces of albumin could regularly be demonstrated in the urine and moderately increased leukocytes, occasional erythrocytes, and epithelial cells in the sediments. In particular cases, albumin casts were also observed. The reaction of the urine remained identical before and after the experiments virtually without exception. The studies of the bile yielded no results.

Lumbar and suboccipital punctures immediately after the experiments showed a considerable increase in fluid pressure. On the average it amounted to between 50 and 60 mm. In one case, an increase to 420 mm. was seen. The protein values were always normal. Cell increases did not appear, likewise no abnormal deviation of the colloidal gold curve was observed. The meaning of these findings for therapy is still to be discussed later.

V. Recovery After Cooling and Its Dependence Upon Physiotherapeutic Measures

The important fact has already been referred to that after rescue from the cold water, the body temperature sinks further and so a further temperature reduction of 4° C. [7° F.] may take place. As was likewise emphasized, this may occur as a postphenomenon not only when low temperatures have been obtained already during the experiments, but it can be noted also at final temperatures of 35° C. [95° F.]. A dependence of this after-drop on the duration of the experiment could not be established; as a result it is difficult to calculate in advance. This fact becomes of great importance for practical measures; on the other hand it makes it difficult to gain an insight into the manner in which various physiotherapeutic measures affect the arresting of this after-drop and the recovery of the body temperature. Only because of the large number of the experiments was it possible to obtain well-founded concepts of this.

The flattest rise of the body temperature was to be observed when the subject was merely dried off, wrapped in warm cover, and left to himself after removal from the water. The recovery is greatly accelerated if the subject is placed in a hot bath as soon as possible after the removal of the wet articles of clothing. Warming under a light cradle assisted the temperature rise. Vigorous massage had a favorable effect, however, only if it was preceded by treatment in a hot bath or light cradle. In no case was it established that there was any indication of bad effects from the hot water or the light cradle, or that the subject had been harmed in any way. On the other hand, it was observed in three cases that a hot bath had doubtless a life saving effect. In two of these cases there had been complete cessation of heart and breathing action, and in one case the heart had stopped for several seconds after a markedly slackened irregularity before the subject was placed into water of not more than 50° C. [122° F.]. As a result of this we can discard all traditional objections to a sudden rewarming.

The favorable effect of a hot bath is still clearer in the observation of the general condition of the subject than in the temperature curves, although it cannot be presented objectively. The breathing very often becomes “freer” immediately upon introduction into the hot water. The hot water releases a strong stimulus; the unconscious subject often reacts with an outcry. Soon thereafter there occurs a distinct lessening of the severe rigor. The return of consciousness occurs sooner, and indeed at temperatures at which it did not usually happen under other methods of treatment.

In the first experiments with hot water treatment, this was continued only for 10 minutes; after that the subjects were removed and vigorously massaged. Under these circumstances it could be established that the temperature rise continued during the rubbing, indeed in one experiment the rise became steeper. As already indicated, this favorable effect of dry rubbing was not so pronounced without preliminary treatment by heat. It is important, too, that the rubbing be done when the severe spasm of the peripheral vessels has already passed.

In view of this, the hot hath is the best method of treatment of the severely cooled person. However, in the practice of sea rescue service it will not be possible to carry out this method, since the necessary means are not available in aircraft and boats. Under these circumstances we must consider next only the rapid rewarming with light cradle or electrically heated sleeping bag. Therefore a sleeping bag as now used in the sea rescue service was also tested. It was evident that the temperatures which can be developed by this means are not sufficient for heat therapy. With those it was possible to reach a temperature of only 32° C. [90° F.] over the skin, with the heat turned on fully. Besides this, the wall of the foot-section of the sleeping bag is only partly heated; on the outer sides it remains completely cold. As long as no improvement and strengthening of the heating equipment of the sack is carried out, the sleeping bag can be considered only as a substitute for wrapping in warm covers.

The warming by means of the light cradle is more uneven than with a hot bath. With warming by light one might expect severe local vessel expansion with danger of collapse. Actually the subjects often complained of dizziness and nausea after reaching consciousness if the treatment lasted longer than 15 minutes. Occasionally vomiting occurred. In these cases it is indicated to switch off the light cradle and to pack the subject with covers. Apart from this it must be remembered that during unconsciousness the subject should be protected against direct contact with the lamps by means of covers, otherwise burns could occur during clonic-tonic convulsions.

This suggests that “short waves” be employed to supply heat, since it was shown in animal experimentation that by this means it is possible to bring about a thorough warming of the whole animal, which leads to a recovery of the animal with puzzling rapidity. We did not have the proper equipment for a thorough warming of a human being by this means. For this reason the short wave therapy of the heart was tried. This did not have any demonstrable effect. Above all, it is necessary to advise against a practical application of this method, since there exists the danger of prolonged burning even in full consciousness, as the result of cold anaesthesia, even if the treating physician carefully tries to avoid this.

The severe difficulty in breathing as well as the formation of foam before the mouth, which reminded one of incipient lung oedema, seemed to indicate oxygen therapy. Therefore this therapy was tried in four experiments. It showed no effect on either the breathing or the heart action. It has been pointed out that the arterial blood appears especially light red.

VI. Death After Cooling in Water

Practical and Theoretical Considerations

Reports to the effect that those who have been rescued at sea are imperilled for a considerable time after rescue has aroused special attention. It has been reported especially that sudden cases of death occurred as much as 20 minutes to 90 minutes after rescue, and that in mass catastrophes these sudden deaths could amount to mass-dying (rescue collapse). These observations have set off far-reaching discussions. Bleeding in the rewarming periphery, break-downs of neural and humoral correlations and similar ideas have been brought up.

In contrast to this our experiments give a relatively simple explanation of cold-death under these conditions. With the exception of a single case, a total irregularity of the heart chamber could be definitely demonstrated in all cases of cooling under 30° C. [86° F.], (50 experiments), when the rectal temperature reached 29° C. [84° F.] and usually already at a cooling of 31° C. [88° F.]. The exception was an experiment on an intoxicated subject, which is to be gone into more fully below (see sec. VII).

Furthermore heart-death was established clinically in all cases of death observed by us. In two cases breathing ceased simultaneously with the heart activity. These were cases in which it was specially noted that the neck and the back of the head lay deep in the water. In all remaining cases breathing outlasted the clinical chamber cessation by as much as 20 minutes. In part this was “normal, much decelerated breathing,” in part an angonal form of gasping. As already referred to, an auricular flutter could be demonstrated cardiographically during the irregularity.

In cases in which a special cooling of neck and back of head had existed before death, the autopsy showed a marked brain oedema, a tight filling of the general brain cavity [Hirngefaesse] blood in the spinal fluid as well as blood in the Michaelisrhomboid.

The heart findings warrant our taking a certain attitude toward the question of rescue collapse. Death occurred relatively quickly after removal from the water, which may be compared with rescue. The longest interval involved was 14 minutes. It is to be noted, however, in the first place, that almost certainly a much larger number of deaths would have been observed if an active heat therapy had not almost regularly been coupled directly with the completion of the experiment; in the second place, that in such cases there would have been very much longer intervals. We have already called attention repeatedly to the after-cooling following the experiment. In every case where this had proceeded to a certain point, countermeasures were taken, since the experiments were never planned to end in death. One may well imagine, however, that in mass catastrophes, in which almost exclusively rescue collapse has heretofore been described, the therapeutic measures were confined to an undressing and drying off of the rescued together with a subsequent wrapping in covers. Under these conditions after-drops of great magnitude and long duration were to be expected. In the course of this delayed fall in temperature, a heart-death might occur as in our experiments.

We should like to emphasize that the irregularity per se is not to be regarded in our experiments as a symptom of danger to life any more than in the clinic, but rather as a sign of direct heart damage, which increases continuously with further falling off of temperature, until finally the heart fails. If the temperature drop is arrested, the slow form of irregularity passes over into a rapid form. This transition is a favorable sign for survival; for this irregularity virtually always passes over of itself after a time averaging 90 minutes into normal heart activity. It continues therefore for a long time after the body temperature has already risen markedly. A danger to the circulatory system could not be demonstrated at this stage. In three cases the return of the heart action to normal occurred in spite of simultaneous energetic physical work.

With the demonstration that cold-death of man is primarily a heart-death, the essential points for therapy are also cleared up. The cause of the severe heart damage is another question. Since our studies were primarily aimed at the development of practical methods of treatment, we will not go very far into the theoretical concepts which may be developed in this connection. Still, several hints may be drawn from the blood studies:

1. The great increase of the viscosity causes an increased loading upon the heart.

2. The choking of peripheral vessel areas by the severe vessel contraction leads to an over-filling of the central areas. This appears not only from our autopsies. In all available records of autopsies which pertain to cases of death from cold in the water after sea disaster, we find uniformly a severe over-filling of the right heart.

3. It is to be calculated that, under the effect of the low blood temperature, the heart itself becomes severely hypodynamic. It has been proved long ago in animal experimentation that a Vorhof flutter can be developed by the overloading and cooling of the isolated heart.

Besides a physical damaging of the heart musculature by the cold, we must also keep in mind the damaging by pathological products of metabolism. Next, the sharp increase in blood sugar may be connected with the increased outpouring of adrenalin. The constancy of this increase of blood sugar during the temperature drop is, however, remarkable. One may well assume that this flow of adrenalin exhausts itself with the continuance of the temperature drop. With this there would have to be a rapid decrease in the blood sugar if the oxidation processes were to continue undisturbed. The decrease in the alkali reserve or the development of an acidosis argues strongly for an injury.

Animal experiments, with general cooling, give grounds for believing that the intermediary metabolism is disturbed during drops in temperature; but this change is also discussed in connection with local freezing of the human being and has been proved to a certain extent. Furthermore, not only this disturbance shows a transition between general and local damage by cold. In both cases there occurs an increase in viscosity, which points to a change in the capillary walls and indicates the conclusion that there is a change in the permeability of those walls for protein and water.

The heart-death remains prominent, the regular increase of spinal fluid pressure with severe cooling of the neck and back of the head leaves it unsettled whether, in addition, this has pathognomonic significance for the outcome. With a fluid pressure of 420 mm. it must in fact be assumed that this participates in the development of bradycardia.

The detection of an increase in fluid pressure is also not without significance for therapy. One may think of a lumbar or suboccipital puncture as a measure to be prescribed. After a lumbar puncture there occurs a transformation of the slow form of arrhythmia into the rapid form. It must remain undecided whether such measures, which delay a rapid, active rewarming, are to be recommended for practical application in the sea-rescue service.

The idea that cold-death in water depends upon failure of the heart, accompanied or unaccompanied by breathing, is subject to limitation. One experiment among fifty-seven was typical. This involved survival of a cooling to 25.2° C. [77.4° F.] during a stay of 3 hours in water of 5.5° C. [41.4° F.]. The rectal temperature under these conditions remained constant within slight variations between 27° and 25° C. [81° and 77° F.] for the last hour and a half. Likewise, quite irregularly, no increase in blood sugar occurred. But most striking was the fact that until the end of the experiment and after its termination consciousness was undisturbed. The course of the experiment reminded one of the behavior of certain experimental animals which can withstand extremely low body temperatures for long periods of time. Lower, warm-blooded animals (for example, rats) can endure rectal temperatures of 20° C. [68° F.] for several hours. It is conceivable that this atypical experiment, had it been continued, would have shown also an atypical cause of death. Against this we have the fact that an irregularity had already set in but not before a temperature of 30.1° C. [86.2° F.] had been reached.

Also, aside from the fluid pressure increase, the part which the central nervous system plays in the outcome of the experiment seems to us to be secondary. The experiments with simultaneous cooling of the neck of course showed how the cooling of the neck and back of the head speeds up the lowering of temperature. This is to be explained by the fact that the counter-controls which are relayed from the temperature center to the periphery, either cannot exist further because of hypofunction of the centers (effect of oedema and cooling), or are no longer transmitted because of cold-blocking of the pathways. But likewise central counter-controls for the areas of the peripheral capillaries may fall; thus delaying the overloading of the heart by extended periphera vasco friction.

VII. The Influence of Pharmacology and the Question of Alcohol

Now experiments by Jarisch have shown that heart drugs like strophanthin and stimulants like cardiazol and coramine in therapeutic doses may react toxically upon cooled animals. These findings are a warning to be most careful in the medicinal treatment of severely cooled persons, though strophanthin and cardiazol have heretofore been expressly recommended in such cases.

In experiments with fatal outcome, the stopping of the heart occurred either in the water or after an interval of not more than 14 minutes after removal from the water. With such a rapid course of events it is unlikely that one can favorably influence the heart action by intravenous injections of strophanthin, especially because the circulation is at a very low ebb before the heart-death. For this reason, in a case whose condition was already very dangerous, strophanthin was given intracardially in a dose of 0.25 mg. Thereupon the heart condition grew still worse and after 5 minutes the heart stopped. One had the impression that the heart action was made worse by the intracardial injection of strophanthin. This is, however, the only case which left the possibility of damage by strophanthin in doubt. No such damage could ever be established in the intravenous injection of strophanthin. On the other hand no therapeutic effect, even with maximal doses of 0.5 mg., could be detected. Figure 11 [not reproduced], last section, shows the total duration in 10 cases of the irregularity observed without strophanthin dosage. This varies between 25 and 200 minutes. On the other hand in Figure 13 in the last section, first five cross-rows there are corresponding time values of 175 to 360 minutes. At various experimental time points during these experiments 0.25 to 0.5 of strophanthin were given. Accordingly, a shortening of the duration of the irregularity cannot be established. Furthermore no improvement of the pulse or general condition was ever noted. Obviously these experiments are too few to rule out a possible favorable effect in all cases. Several hundred experiments would be necessary to obtain statistically reliable data on this point. And so, since contrary to animal experimentation, we could not unquestionably establish damage following intravenous strophanthin dosage, we may leave it to the treating physician whether or not he may still want to make an experiment with strophanthin. To be sure, such an employment of it must be advised against in case of a very much decelerated form of irregularity. This will be observed when there is the greatest danger; under such circumstances time should never be lost by experimenting with drugs, but every effort should be made in the direction of intensive heat therapy.

Also in the experiments with cardiazol, coramin and lobeline we restricted ourselves primarily to determining whether injurious effects occurred in the case of relatively large doses. Four cc. of 10 percent coramin as well as 2 cc. of 1 percent lobeline were injected intravenously at various stages of recovery without any marked objective and subjective deterioration of the state of the heart, the breathing, and the general condition. But just as with strophanthin, it is impossible to rule out a possible therapeutically favorable effect because of the small number of experiments. We never observed such an effect. Especially the marked deepening of breathing and of the irritability of the trigeminal nerve which usually sets in very suddenly after coramin (for example, sneezing immediately after the injection) were always missing. Contrary to strophanthin, in the case of which we cannot advise against experimentation by intravenous injection under certain conditions, we believe on theoretical grounds that such experiments with peripheral circulatory drugs which may heighten the vessel tonus are not indicated because of the following considerations: The damage to the heart is to be attributed, among other things, to an overloading, which is caused by a blocking of enlarged vessel areas, aside from an increase in viscosity. If the vessel tonus is further increased in the areas which have remained unimpeded, the conditions for the heart are thereby made worse.

The sceptical attitude toward the effect of drugs is strengthened above all by the observation that in the majority of the experiments in which no drugs were given, even the most severe disturbances of the peripheral circulation were reduced remarkably rapidly under intensive heat treatment. In this connection it must be emphasized that besides the recovery of body temperature through heat therapy an unloading of the heart takes place because the blocked areas open up. Contrary to earlier concepts, according to which there was danger of hemorrhage into the periphery during rapid rewarming, and according to which one sought to avoid this hemorrhage by wrapping up the extremities as well as by very slow warming, the “venalous bleeding into the periphery” may be life-saving under some circumstances. An exception, namely, loval pyperacmia after considerable rise in temperature and corresponding reestablishment of circulation has already been described in the reference to the danger in some cases of very prolonged treatment in the light cradle.

The familiar increase of peripheral blood volume as a result of alcohol leads one to expect that very intoxicated persons cool more rapidly. Figure 14^[28] shows an experiment from which we may conclude that actually acceleration of the cooling does set in after partaking liberally of alcohol before the experiment. It is very remarkable that in such an experiment, the only exception among all cooling experiments, irregularity was absent in a cooling to 28.1° C. [82.6° F.]. Even if it was not possible to reproduce this apparent protection against irregularity caused by partaking of alcohol in control experiments on other subjects, there remains the possibility that the distending of the peripheral vessels delays the overloading of the heart, just as on the other hand it increases the speed of cooling.

Our observations contradict the old seafaring custom of pouring alcohol into a person already cooled, since, according to these observations the temperature tends, even in slight degrees of cooling, to sink further for a long time after rescue. As long as there is no active supply of heat from outside, the disadvantage of an increased heat loss will reduce the utility of stopping the peripheral vessel blockage. Also in later stages of recovery one must obviously be very careful in giving alcohol; above all, this warning is emphasized by the possibility that one must reckon with a total irregularity after more than an hour, which may go unnoticed by the inexperienced experimenter.

VIII. Preventive Measures

IX. Concerning Life Jackets [Schwimmwesten]

X. Summary

1. The curve of rectal temperature of human beings chilled in water of 2° C. [35.6° F.] to 12° C. [53.6° F.] shows a gradual drop to about 35° C. [95° F.], after which the drop becomes rapid. Death may occur at rectal temperatures below 30° C. [86° F.].

2. Death results from heart failure. The direct damage to the heart becomes evident from the total irregularity observed in all cases, setting in at approximately 30° C. [86° F.]. This cardiac damage is due to overloading of the heart, caused by the marked and regular increase in the viscosity of the blood, as well as by the marked throttling of large peripheral vascular areas; besides, a direct injury to the heart by the cold is also probable.

3. If the neck is also chilled, the lowering of the temperature is more rapid. This is due to interference with the temperature-regulating and vascular centers; cerebral oedema also makes its appearance.

4. The blood sugar rises as the temperature falls, and the blood sugar does not drop again as long as the body temperature continues to fall. This fact suggests an intermediary disturbance of metabolism.

5. Respiration of the chilled subject is rendered difficult due to the rigor of the respiratory musculature.

6. After removal from the cold water, the body temperature may continue to fall for 15 minutes or longer. This may be an explanation of deaths which occur after successful rescue from the sea.

7. Intensive rewarming never injures the severely chilled person.

8. Strophanthin treatment was not observed to have been successful. The question of the use of strophanthin remains open, however. Remedies which influence the peripheral circulation are definitely not advisable.

9. The most effective therapeutic measure is rapid and intensive heat treatment, best applied by immersion in a hot bath.

10. By means of special protective clothing, the survival time after immersion in cold water could be extended to double the survival time of subjects who were immersed without protective clothing.

11. Certain proposals for improvement of life jackets are being made.

Concluded on 10 October 1942.

[Signed] Prof.Dr. Holzloehner

Dr. Rascher

Dr. Finke

Behavior of the heart action under the influence of medication

Occurance ofTherapyPulse becomesTotal

Irregularityregulardura-

Subj.WaterAfterAtAtAfter exper.tion

temp.exper.bodyMg.min.time & admin.of ir-Remarks

[°C]timetemp.stroph.[min.]strophanthinregu-

[min.][°C]larity

*********

B. L455300.25 mg., 4 cc. coramin.65——Death in the seventieth minute, ten minutes after removal from water.

L. H43031.50.25 mg., intracardial.60——Death (heart stopped) five minutes after administering strophanthin, ten minutes after removal from water.

V. E5.26030.30.25 mg., heart, masage, coramin, cardiazol, artificial respiration.68——Death (heart stopped) in the sixty-sixth minute during removal from water.

S. M67531.4Artificial respiration, cardiazol.82——Death (heart stopped) in the eighty-seventh minute, seven minutes after removal from water.

L. O4.53031.2L. P57——Death (heart stopped) in the sixty-fifth minute, eight minutes after removal from water.

Figure 13.

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT 1609-PS

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 92

LETTER FROM HIMMLER TO RASCHER, 24 OCTOBER 1942, AND NOTE BY RUDOLF BRANDT

Reich Leader SS

Nr 1397/42

Field Command Post, 24 Oct 1942

Dr. Sigmund Rascher

Munich, Trogerstr. 56

Top Secret

3 copies

2d copy

Dear Rascher!

I acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 9th and 10th and both notes of 16 October 1942.

I have read your report regarding cooling experiments on humans with great interest. SS Sturmbannfuehrer Sievers should arrange the possibility of evaluation at institutes which are connected with us.

I regard these people as guilty of treason and high treason, who, still today, reject these experiments on humans and would instead let sturdy German soldiers die as a result of these cooling methods. I shall not hesitate to report these men to the offices concerned. I empower you to make my opinion on this known to the offices concerned.

I invite you to a personal conference in November as I cannot make it sooner despite my great interest.

SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff will once again get in touch with Field Marshal Milch. You are empowered to make a report to Field Marshal Milch—and, of course, to the Reich Marshal if he has time—concerning those who are not doctors.

I think that covers which have heat packets or something similar sewed in their lining are the best for the warming of those who were stranded at sea and were picked up in boats or small vessels and where there is no possibility of placing these chilled people in a hot bath. I take it for granted that you know these heat packets which we also have in the SS and which were used by the Russians a great deal. They consist of a mass which develops a warmth of 70° to 80° upon addition of water and retains it for hours.

I am very curious as to the experiments with body warmth. I personally take it that these experiments will probably bring the best and lasting results. Naturally, I could be mistaken.

Keep me informed on future findings. Of course we will see each other in November.

Heil Hitler!

Yours

[Signed] H. Himmler

2. SS Obergruppenfuehrer Wolff

Sent with request for acknowledgment. I present the report with the request for acknowledgment and return since the Reich Leader SS in Munich wants these copies again.

[Signed] Brandt

SS Sturmbannfuehrer

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-323

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 94

MEMORANDUM OF RASCHER ON WOMEN USED FOR REWARMING IN FREEZING EXPERIMENTS, 5 NOVEMBER 1942

Sigmund Rascher, M. D.

Munich, Trogerstrasse 56, 5 November 1942

Subject: Requested report on concentration camp prostitutes.

For the resuscitation experiments by animal warmth after freezing as ordered by the Reich Leader 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, 21¾ years of age. I asked 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 be released 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 Ravensbrueck. Most of the reported conditions were confirmed by the three other prostitutes and by the female warden who had accompanied them from Ravensbrueck.

It hurts my racial feelings to expose to racially inferior concentration camp elements a girl as a prostitute who has the appearance of a pure Nordic and who could perhaps by assignment of proper work be put on the right road.

Therefore, I refused to use this girl for my experimental purposes and gave the adequate reports to the camp commander and the adjutant of the Reich Leader SS.

[Signature] Dr. S. Rascher

TRANSLATION OF DOCUMENT NO-320

PROSECUTION EXHIBIT 103

LETTER FROM SIEVERS TO BRANDT, 28 JANUARY 1943, AND RASCHER’S REPORT ON HIS DISCUSSIONS WITH GRAWITZ AND POPPENDICK

The Ahnenerbe

The Reich Business Manager

To the Reich Leader SS Berlin, 28 January 1943

Personal Staff G/R/8 S 1/Sb

[illegible shorthand notes]

Attention: SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Dr. R. Brandt

Berlin S. W. 11, Prinz Albrecht Str. 8

Secret!

Subject: Research of Dr. Rascher.

Dear comrade Brandt!

I submit to you enclosed a documentary note of Dr. Rascher on his discussion with the Reich Physician SS [Reichsarzt SS] of 13 January 1943. I would be much obliged to you if you could advise us as to what attitude we or Dr. Rascher are to take in the future. I am slightly astonished about the course of the discussion, for the orders of the Reich Leader SS were especially to the effect that we—that is the Ahnenerbe—were to take Dr. Rascher’s work under our care. The argument of SS Gruppenfuehrer Grawitz, that it constituted an unbearable situation to have a non-physician give information on medical matters, is not pertinent. I have never claimed to be a judge of medical matters, nor do I consider it as one of my duties. My duty merely consists of smoothing the way for the research men and seeing that the tasks ordered by the Reich Leader SS are carried out in the quickest possible way. On one thing I certainly can form an opinion—that is, on who is doing the quickest job.

If things are to go on in the future as SS Gruppenfuehrer Grawitz desires, I am afraid that Dr. Rascher’s work will not continue to advance as fast and unhampered as hitherto.

With comradely greetings,

Heil Hitler!

Yours

[Signature] Sievers

[Stamp]:

Personal Staff RF SS / Enclosure

Received on: 4th Feb. 1943 1

Journal No: 1786/43

To: RB Please turn!

COPY

Documentary note on discussion Reich Physician SS [Reichsarzt SS] Dr. Grawitz—SS Obersturmbannfuehrer Dr. Poppendick—SS Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Rascher, 13 January 1943.

Rascher: Reports on freezing experiments with water and emphasizes that they have been concluded practically, but not in theory.

Grawitz: Question about the memorandum. Whether Rascher believes this to be absolutely established for dry freezings, too?

Rascher: No, a lot of theoretical work is still to be done, primarily many practical experiments have still to be conducted.

Grawitz: That is my opinion, too. We cannot distribute a memorandum to the troops, abolishing all former views, if this is not entirely well-founded, as otherwise uncertainties will arise among the troops. I shall write to Obersturmbannfuehrer Dr. Brandt that I am asking the Reich Leader SS not to distribute the memorandum before a well-founded method of treatment of dry frozen persons has been established.

Rascher: Very well, that’s why the Reich Leader SS gave me the order of 13 December 1942. But I urgently want to emphasize that the results of the freezing experiments with water have been established and are well-founded.

Grawitz: Well, now, this had to be mentioned in the letter to Brandt so that you are not blamed in any way! You see, from my former activities (mention of some hospital) I know so much about metabolism that I am almost a specialist in this field and can help you enormously.

Rascher: As I understood, Gruppenfuehrer, that’s why I am to turn to your office for glass materials, chemicals, etc.

Grawitz: No. Not only for that. You have to turn to me in all medical matters, since after all, I am Reich Physician SS and all medical affairs are subordinate to me. It is absolutely necessary that all medical matters destined for the Reich Leader SS go through my office.

Rascher: I don’t know, Gruppenfuehrer, if this was the intention. I am under the direct orders of the Reich Leader SS and I have always reported directly to him. I have never received orders to another effect.

Grawitz: You certainly will be transferred to the Waffen SS?

Rascher: Yes, I hope so. The transfer is under way.

Grawitz: There you are. Then you will be under my orders as a physician at any rate and all matters will have to go through my office, otherwise the situation would be unbearable.

Rascher: But I am under the orders of the Ahnenerbe! Am I to report to you, too, what I have to report to the Ahnenerbe?

Grawitz: Certainly! At least a copy on all medical matters has to be sent to me for my information. For it is an unbearable situation to have a non-physician, such as Standartenfuehrer Sievers, inform me on medical matters if he does not have the adequate special medical education. I have nothing against Sievers. Well, yes, I know you are of the Ahnenerbe. I don’t say anything against your work for the Ahnenerbe, but I want you to work with the Ahnenerbe for the Reich Physician. I shall also write to Brandt on that matter.