Nazi’s Experiments
Essay title: Nazi’s Experiments
I believe that it is not up to only the individual, the medical community, politicians, victims, or survivors to decide the extent, if any, of the use of the Nazi medical experiments. All of the data gathered should be reviewed by a committee made up of representatives of the educational community, the medical community, politicians, victims, and survivors to determine if they are medically worthy of use, acceptable for use based on moral/social considerations, and represent information that cannot and will not be attainable in an ethical society. If the committee cannot reach consensus on all three of the criteria above, the data should not be used, ever, and should be destroyed. I do agree that there is a slight direction toward demeaning the victims, but I also feel that a majority of them would want the good, if there is any, to benefit humanity. Then at least the suffering was for something.
We condemn the experiments and the way their data were obtained. We identify ourselves with the horrific suffering inflicted on our dearest. We understand the methods were not up to medical ethics, but if any knowledge was obtained via the inhuman experiments that can alleviate the suffering of the sick or maimed, one should use it. This way the sacrifice of our beloved ones will not be in vain. We eternalize their martyrdom and pay homage to their courage and pain. They did not die in vain. Our love and compassion is with them forever!
Wouldnt it be sad if the life of one of the experimental subjects great-great-great-granddaughters could be saved if the data were considered? How sad that the Holocaust is allowed to continue to take a toll on the living.
I suspect there is no right answer to this dilemma. The lives and suffering of the victims should not be wasted, but the absolutely evil torturers should not be honored by any recognition of their foul work.
Perhaps, in the case of hypothermia, doctors should move on from the Nazi data and carefully accumulate the records of hypothermia accident victims in a computer data file. Enough anecdotal evidence eventually becomes usable data, without subjecting people to torture. Todays computers should be able to sort out the variables in uncontrolled situations to some usable degree surely.
As for future torture being encouraged by use of the Nazi data, the medical associations of the world should get together and devise a universal class on medical ethics that would be taught in every medical school that exists. (Yes, I understand thats wishful thinking.)
One of the more difficult questions I have considered in my life is the one you pose. While I am sympathetic to the beliefs of the survivors that the data not be used, I believe that if there is any scientifically valuable data to be gathered from Nazi experiments, it should be used. However, from the information you present, it seems doubtful that any valuable data exists. I will leave it to current scientists to make that determination.
On the idea that using this data would make us as guilty as the Nazis who collected it, I must disagree. If asked if the experiments should be repeated, I would answer with an unequivecal No, as would anyone. No one is suggesting this, however. If the data are worth using, they may be of value to the living. Theres nothing we can do for the victims now, beyond working to prevent similar genocides.
I wonder if this question was ever raised over Werner Von Braun? He helped to create one of the great weapons of mass destruction. How many Britons did V2s kill? The U.S. had no qualms about taking him out of Germany and putting him to work, and he eventually helped us get to the moon.
Thanks for the forum, and for one of the greatest programs on television. Ive been a NOVA watcher for over 20 years now. Keep up the great work.
William Love
St. Petersburg, FL, USA
No sane person would condone the experiments that were inflicted on these poor, poor people. But, making these records public in order to prove that the Holocaust did happen, that millions of innocent people did die, that millions more did suffer through this torture is imperative. I am 30 years old, and I have met people who say that the Holocaust never happened, that the Jews are lying! I believe in using this information to keep awareness of the Holocaust fresh in our minds so that it will never happen again. Your community may be next.
I am horrified after reading the details of the experiments. I wish such things were never done. But since some of the experiments may have generated usable data, I feel