Trials of war criminals before the Nuernberg military tribunals under control council law no. 10, volume IIVarious
Philosophy
Trials of war criminals before the Nuernberg military tribunals under control council law no. 10, volume II
Various
Nuremberg Trial of Major German War Criminals, Nuremberg, Germany, 1945-1946; War crime trials -- Germany -- Nuremberg
The question asked here is always what the opinion of the medical
profession in America is. For us in this trial, in the evaluation of
German defendants, that is not decisive. In my opinion the decisive
question is for example, in 1942, when the altitude experiments were
undertaken at Dachau, what the attitude of the medical profession in
Germany was. From my point of view as a defense counsel I do not object
if the prosecution asks Professor Ivy what the attitude or opinion of
the medical profession in Germany was in 1942. If he can answer that
question, all right, let him answer it, but we are not interested in
finding out what the ethical attitude of the medical profession in the
United States was. In my opinion a German physician who in Germany
performed experiments on Germans cannot be judged exclusively according
to an American medical opinion, which moreover dates from the year 1945
and was coded in the years 1945 and 1946 for future use; it can also
have no retroactive force.
PRESIDING JUDGE BEALS: The first objection imposed by Dr. Seidl might be
pertinent if the question of legality was concerned, a legal
responsibility, that would be a question for a court. The question of
moral responsibility is a proper subject to inquire of the witness.
As to Dr. Sauter’s objection, the opinion of the witness as to medical
sentiment in America may be received. The counsel’s objection goes to
its weight rather than to admissibility. The witness could be asked if
he is aware of the sentiment in America in 1942 and whether it is
different from this of the present day or whether it does not differ.
The witness may also be asked whether he is aware of the opinion as to
medical ethics in other countries or throughout the civilized world. But
the objections are both overruled.
MR. HARDY: It is your opinion, then, that the state cannot assume the
moral responsibility of a physician to his patient or experimental
subject?
WITNESS DR. IVY: That is my opinion.
Q. On what do you base your opinion? What is the reason for that
opinion?
A. I base that opinion on the principles of ethics and morals contained
in the oath of Hippocrates. I think it should be obvious that a state
cannot follow a physician around in his daily administration to see that
the moral responsibility inherent therein is properly carried out. This
moral responsibility that controls or should control the conduct of a
physician should be inculcated into the minds of physicians just as
moral responsibility of other sorts, and those principles are clearly
depicted or enunciated in the oath of Hippocrates with which every
physician should be acquainted.
Q. Is the oath of Hippocrates the Golden Rule in the United States and
to your knowledge throughout the world?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account