Experimentation From "Doctors"

Throughout the holocaust there were "doctors" who did experiments, painful ones. The big question is...

Did anything productive come out of it?

Nazis made immunizations and tested them on their prisoners. They worked on developing immunizations for: malaria, typhus, tuberculosis, typhoid fever, yellow fever, and infectious hepatitis ("Nazi Medical Experiments," par. 3). The prisoners were exposed to mustard gas and phosegene. 

Phosegene makes people choke and was used a lot in World War I. It was responsible for many deaths ("Facts About Phosgene," par. 2).  Other symptoms include: coughing, , a burning sensation in the throat and eyes, watery eyes, blurred vision,  difficulty breathing or shortness of breath,  nausea and vomiting, and skin contact can result in lesions similar to those from frostbite or burns Following exposure to high concentrations of phosgene, a person may develop fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) within 2 to 6 hours ("Facts About Phosgene," par. 5). Many can make a full recovery but some long term effects are chronic bronchitis and emphysema ("Facts About Phosgene," par. 6).

Mustard gas causes eyes to become irritable and skin itchy. It is colorless or has a mild green or yellow tint (the color of mustard) and smells like sulfur, horseradish, garlic, or mustard (Palmero, par. 2).  Palmero from Live Science says "Mustard gas, or sulfur mustard (Cl-CH₂CH₂)₂S, is a chemical agent that causes severe burning of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It can be absorbed into the body through inhalation, ingestion or by coming into contact with the skin or eyes" (par. 1). Some of the effects include temporary blindness, pus filled blisters, shortness of breath and sinus pain ("Palmero," par. 3).

Works Cited

"Facts About Phosgene." CDC. CDC, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://emergency.cdc.gov/agent/phosgene/basics/facts.asp>.

"Nazi Medical Experiments." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 20 June 2014. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005168>.

Palermo, By Elizabeth. "What Is Mustard Gas?" LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 28 Aug. 2013. Web. 28 Apr. 2015. <http://www.livescience.com/39248-what-is-mustard-gas.html>.