Reich-Surgeon of the SS and Police
The Supreme Hygienist
Diary No.: Secret 364/44 Dr. Mru./Eb
Berlin-Zehlendorf 12 Sept 1944 Spanische Allee 10-12
TOP—SECRET
Subject: Experiments with Akonitinnitrate-bullets.
To the Institute of Technical Criminology for the attention of
Dr. Widmann .
Berlin
Stamp: Institute of Technical Criminology Chemistry dept.
received: 13 Sept. 1944 Diary No. G 53/44 Expert: --------------On 11 September 1944, in the presence of SS-Sturmbann-fuehrer Dr. Ding, Dr. Widmann and the undersigned, experiments with Akonotinnitrate bullets were carried out on five persons who had been sentenced to death. The calibre of the bullets used was 7.65 cm and they were filled with the poison in crystal form. Each subject of the experiments received one shot in the upper part of the left thigh, while in a horizontal position. In the case of 2 persons, the bullets passed clean through the upper part of the thigh. Even later no effect from the poison could be seen. These two subjects were therefore rejected. The bullet entrance showed no peculiarities. The Arteria Femoralis of one subject was apparently damaged. A light coloured flow of blood issued from the entrance hole. The bleeding however stopped after a short time. It was estimated that the amount of blood lost was at most % of a litre, so it was by no means fatal.
The symptoms shown by the three condemned persons were surprisingly the same. At first, nothing special was noticeable.
693260—46—56
L-103
After 20 to 25 minutes, a disturbance of the motor nerves and a light flow of saliva began, but both stopped again. After 40 to 44 minutes a strong flow of saliva appeared. The poisoned persons swallowed frequently, later the flow of saliva is so strong that it can no longer be controlled by swallowing. Foamy saliva flows from the mouth. Then, a sensation of choking and vomiting start.
After 58 minutes, the pulse of two of the persons could no longer be felt. The pulse of the third had 76 beats. After 65 minutes, his blood-pressure was 90/60 min. Hg. The sounds were exceedingly low.
There was therefore a noticeable lowering of the blood-pressure.
During the first hours of the experiment, the pupils showed no change. After 78 minutes those of all three persons enlarged to a medium extent and were slow in reacting to light. At the same time the breathing was maximum with deep intaking respiration. It subsided after a few minutes. The pupils narrowed again and reacted better. After 65 minutes, the reflexes of the knee and Achilles tendons in the three poisoned persons, no longer functioned. In two of them, the reflexes of the abdominal wall had also failed. The third person still maintained the reflexes of the upper abdominal wall the lower ones no longer reacted. After 90 minutes one person began again to breathe already; this was accompanied by an increasing disturbance of the motor nerves. The breathing then became superficial and rapid.
At the same time there was pronounced nausea. One of the poisoned persons tried in vain to vomit. In order to succeed, he put 4 fingers of his hand, up to the main joint, right into his mouth. In spite of this, no vomiting occurred. His face became quite red.
The faces of the other two subjects were already pale at an early stage. Other symptoms were the same. Later on the disturbance of the motor nerves increased so much that the persons threw themselves up and down rolled their eyes and made aimless movements with their hands and arms. At last, the disturbance subsided, the pupils were enlarged to the maximum, the condemned lay still. Massetercramp and loss of urine was observed in one of them. Death occurred 121, 123, and 129 minutes after they were shot.
Concltision: In spite of an insignificant injury, the bullets, filled with about 38 mg. Akonitinnitrate in solid form caused death after about 2 hours. The effect of the poison begins to
878
L-103
show 20 to 25 minutes after the wound is received. The main symptoms were a flow of saliva, alteration in the size of the pupils, failure to function of the tendon reflexes, disturbance of the motor nerves and pronounced nausea.
signed: Doz. Dr. Mrugowsky ' SS-Oberfuehrer and Department Head