Medical Experimentation during the Holocaust

Dr. Josef Mengele, the “Angel of Death”

I. Freezing ExperimentsA. Used to determine two things:

1. how long a body can withstand freezing temperatures before death

2. can a frozen victim be resuscitated

B. Two methods:1. Icy vat

a. naked victim placed in freezing cold waterb. probe that measure temperature inserted

into rectum and held in place with metal ring

2. Stretchera. naked victim strapped to a stretcher and left

outside in sub-zero temperature

II. Resuscitation ExperimentsA. Sun Lamp

1. victim placed under lamps so hot they burnt the skin

Clandestine photograph of a Polish political prisoner and

medical experimentation victim in the Ravensbrück concentration

camp. Pictured is Maria Kusmierczuk. Her leg was

disfigured by injections of tetanus bacteria as part of medical

experiments carried out in the camp. October 1944.

B. Internal Irrigation1. boiling water forcefully irrigated

into victim’s stomach, bladder, and intestines

C. Hot Bath1. victim placed in hot water, heat

slowly raised2. most successful method3. many still died of shock

D. Body Heat1. frozen victim forced to copulate

III. Low Pressure ExperimentsA. Used to determine how high

Nazi pilots could flyB. Victims exposed to deadly

amounts of air pressure

IV. Genetic ExperimentsA. Conducted by Josef MengeleB. Attempted to determine Aryan

superiorityC. Experiments on twins

1. Bodies photographed, measured, and x-rays

2. Substantial amounts of body hair plucked out by the root

3. Totally shaven of all other hair4. Photographed again5. Several two liter enemas6. Strapped to a bench, rectums

hyper extended7. Extensive lower intestinal

examination8. Urological examination

9. Tissue samples taken from kidneys, prostrate, and testicles

10.Semen samples forcefully taken

11. All experiments conducted without anesthesia

12.Twins gagged to prevent screaming

13.Killed simultaneously by an injection to the heart

14.Bodies dissected, organs sent to research labs