NMT01-T419
Volume I · Page 419
On 19 May 1944 a conference was held at the German Air Ministry which was attended by Christensen, Schickler, Becker-Freyseng, and Schaefer, among others. This conference was concerned with the problem of the potability of sea water. Two methods of making sea water drinkable were then available to the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe. One, the so-called Schaefer method, had been chemically tested and apparently produced potable sea water. It had the disadvantage, however, of requiring substantial amounts of silver which was available only in limited quantities. The second method, so-called Berkatit, was a substance which changed the taste of sea water but did not remove the salt. It had the advantage of simplicity of manufacture and use.
At the conference on 19 May the defendant Becker-Freyseng reported on certain clinical experiments which had been conducted by von Sirany to test Berkatit. He came to the conclusion that the experiments had not been conducted under sufficiently realistic conditions of sea distress. He reported that the Chief of the Medical Service of the Luftwaffe was —
"* * * convinced that, if the Berka method is used, damage had to be expected not later than 6 days after taking Berkatit, which damage will result in permanent injuries to health and — according to the opinion of Unterarzt Dr. Schaefer — will finally result in death after not later than 12 days. External symptoms are to be expected such as dehydration, diarrhea, convulsions, hallucinations, and finally death." (NO-117, Pros. Ex. 133.)As a result of this conference it was agreed to conduct new experiments. They were to include a series of experiments for a maximum of 6 days during which one group was to be given sea water processed with Berkatit, another group ordinary drinking water, another group no principle water at all, and the final group such water as was available in the emergency sea distress kits then used. A second series of experiments was decided upon and the report stated:
"Persons nourished with sea water and Berkatit, and as diet also the emergency sea rations.
"Duration of experiments. 12 days.
"Since in the opinion of the chief of the medical service permanent injuries to health, that is, the death of the experimental subjects has to be expected, as experimental subjects such persons
