“I am able to inform you that the Reich Leader SS has approved today the series of experiments proposed by you.
“1. Specific therapy with typhus.
“2. Tolerance of sera containing phenol.
“I agree that both series of experiments in the department for typhus and virus research of the Hygienic Institute of the Waffen SS in Weimar-Buchenwald should be carried out, and request that I be informed of the course of the findings, perhaps through intermediary reports.”
“By order of Grawitz.”
The signature is “Nicolai”.
Q. Now this states that the Reich Leader SS has approved a series of experiments proposed by you and the experiments may be carried out in Buchenwald. You stated that you never proposed experiments to determine the tolerance of sera containing phenol. Now do you maintain, Doctor, that you never initiated any experimentation to determine the tolerance of sera containing phenol?
A. Yes. The connection here is something quite different. I shall discuss point two first.
I have already said that in Germany there were no sera without phenol. In connection with this phenol question in German serum, I informed Grawitz about the question which is being discussed here—Killian and Schreiber were present—and I told him that industry should try to produce sera without phenol, as the French serum industry had been doing for some time. I knew that suggestions to that effect had been sent to the industry, but that the German serum industry had refused, during the war, to effect any such basic change in its production because it was not in a position to obtain the necessary special apparatus, filters, etc. I therefore told Grawitz that in serum therapy for ordinary diseases—I was thinking primarily of diphtheria, where large quantities of serum were used at the time in the therapy against diphtheria once it had broken out, because the highly concentrated serum was no longer available in necessary quantities—I told him that in the case of such diseases one should watch to see whether injury from phenol might result. I told him also that it would be desirable to know whether serum without phenol would definitely prevent such shock. I also remember that this point too had connection with the fact that we had negotiated with the Behring Works for the production of serum frequently in small quantities in order to use it, and to compare it with other serum. If I remember correctly this involved diphtheria serum, that is the serum which is used most in Germany. The comparison was to be made of symptoms following the administration of the usual antidiphtheria serum containing phenol on children, and it was to be noted whether the symptoms would appear; and the symptoms following the administration of serum free of phenol were also to be noted. This was what Grawitz meant here, and he called that a series of experiments. I might point out that this expressed series of experiments in this case cannot refer to artificial infection, because it is not possible to have a human being artificially infected with diphtheria serum.
Q. Doctor, after receiving this confirmation of your proposals to perform experiments as outlined in this letter, you must have issued orders in that regard. Now to whom did you issue those orders?