A History of Mengeles Gruesome Experiments on Twins

A History of Mengele's Gruesome Experiments on Twins From May 1943 until January  1945, Nazi doctor Josef Mengele worked at Auschwitz, conducting pseudo-scientific medical experiments. Many of his cruel experiments were conducted on young twins. Notorious Doctor of Auschwitz Bettmann/Contributor/Getty Images Mengele, the notorious doctor of Auschwitz, has become an enigma of the 20th century. Mengeles handsome physical appearance, fastidious dress, and calm demeanor seemingly contradicted his attraction to murder and gruesome experiments. Mengeles seeming omnipresence at the railroad unloading platform called the ramp, as well as his fascination with twins,  incited images of a mad, evil monster. His ability to elude capture increased his notoriety and gave him a mystical and devious persona. In May 1943, Mengele entered Auschwitz as an educated, experienced, medical researcher. With funding for his experiments, he worked alongside some of the top medical researchers of the time. Anxious to make a name for himself, Mengele searched for the secrets of heredity. The Nazi ideal of the future would benefit from the help of genetics, according to Nazi doctrine.  If so-called Aryan women could give birth to twins who were sure to be blond and blue-eyed,  the future could be saved. Mengele, who worked for Professor Otmar Freiherr von Vershuer, a biologist who pioneered twin methodology in the study of genetics, believed that twins held these secrets. Auschwitz seemed the best location for such research because of a large number of available twins to use as specimens. The Ramp Mengele took his turn as the selector on the ramp, but unlike most of the other selectors, he arrived sober. With a small flick of his finger or riding crop, a person would either be sent to the left or to the right, to the gas chamber or to hard labor. Mengele would get very excited when he found twins. The other SS officers who helped unload the transports had been given special instructions to find twins, dwarfs, giants, or anyone else with a unique hereditary trait like a club foot or heterochromia (each eye a different color). Mengele was on the ramp not only during his selection duty but also when it was not his turn as a selector, to ensure twins would not be missed.   As the unsuspecting people were herded off the train and ordered into separate lines, SS officers shouted Zwillinge! (Twins!) in German. Parents were forced to make a quick decision. Unsure of their situation, already being separated from family members when forced to form lines, seeing barbed wire, smelling an unfamiliar stench - was it good or bad to be a twin? Sometimes, parents announced they had twins, and in other cases, relatives, friends, or neighbors made the statement. Some mothers tried to hide their twin, but the SS officers and Josef Mengele searched through the surging ranks of people looking for twins and anyone with unusual traits. While many twins were either announced or discovered, some sets of twins were successfully hidden and walked with their mothers into the gas chamber. About 3,000 twins were pulled from the masses on the ramp, most of them children. Only around 200 of these twins survived. When the twins were found, they were taken away from their parents. As the twins were led away to be processed, their parents and family stayed on the ramp and went through selection. Occasionally, if the twins were very young, Mengele would allow the mother to join her children to ensure their health. Processing After the twins had been taken from their parents, they were taken to the showers. Since they were Mengeles children, they were treated differently than other prisoners. Though they suffered through medical experiments, the twins were often allowed to keep their hair and allowed to keep their own clothes. The twins were then tattooed  and given a number from a special sequence. They were then taken to the twins barracks where they were required to fill out a form. The form asked for a brief history and basic measurements, such as age and height. Many of the twins were too young to fill the form out by themselves, so the Zwillingsvater (twins father) helped them. This inmate was assigned to the job of taking care of the male twins. Once the form was filled out, the twins were taken to Mengele. He asked them more questions and looked for any unusual traits. Life for the Twins Each morning, life for the twins began at 6 oclock. The twins were required to report for roll call in front of their barracks, regardless of weather conditions. After roll call, they ate a small breakfast. Then each morning, Mengele would appear for an inspection. Mengeles presence did not necessarily cause fear in the children. He was often known to appear with pockets full of candy and chocolates, to pat them on the head, talk with them, and sometimes even play. Many of the children, especially the younger ones, called him Uncle Mengele. The twins were given brief instruction in makeshift classes and were sometimes even allowed to play soccer. The children were not required to do hard work or labor. Twins were also spared from punishments, as well as from the frequent selections within the camp. The twins had some of the best conditions of anyone at Auschwitz until the trucks came to take them to the experiments. Mengeles Twin Experiments Generally, every twin had to have blood drawn every day. Besides having blood drawn, the twins underwent  various medical experiments. Mengele kept his exact reasoning for his experiments a secret. Many of the twins that he experimented on did not know the purpose of the experiments, or what exactly what was being injected into or otherwise done to them. The experiments included: Measurements:  The twins were forced to undress and lie next to each other. Then, every detail of their anatomy was carefully examined, studied, and measured. What was the same between the two was deemed to be hereditary, and what was different was deemed to be the result of the environment. These tests would last for several hours.Blood:  The frequent blood tests and experiments included mass transfusions of blood from one twin to another.Eyes:  In attempts to fabricate blue eye color, drops or injections of chemicals would be put in the eyes. This often caused severe pain, infections, and temporary or permanent blindness.Shots and Diseases:  Mysterious injections caused severe pain. Injections into the spine and spinal taps were given with no anesthesia. Diseases, including typhus and tuberculosis, would be purposely given to one twin and not the other. When one died, the other was often killed to examine and compare the effects of the disease.Surgeries:  Various surgerie s were performed without anesthesia, including organ removal, castration, and amputation. Death:  Dr. Miklos Nyiszli was Mengeles prisoner pathologist. The autopsies became the final experiment. Nyiszli performed autopsies on twins who had died from the experiments or who had been purposely killed just for after-death measurements and examination. Some of the twins had been stabbed with a needle that pierced their heart and was then injected with chloroform or phenol, which caused near-immediate blood coagulation and death. Some of the organs, eyes, blood samples, and tissues would be sent to Verschuer for further study.

Illegal Immigration in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Illegal Immigration in America - Essay Example Throughout most of American history, America has portrayed an existence of invasion, and has stepped foot into almost every battlefield and continent in the world. Taking this aggressive stance towards diplomacy, America should not be able to forget its past, and say that after destroying so much land and taking over so many peoples, it is now not going to let immigration happen. After all, this country was built on immigrants, and to not allow immigrants into this country is simply against all past policies of the United States. To invade so many lands, and then turn the other check and not allow other people into our own country is hypocrisy, and should not be the stance America takes. Even at the start of our own history, Americans looked towards the West. The idea of Manifest Destiny grew up in popular opinion, and people began to push the boundaries of the United States further and further West. This feeling of territorial claim that the United States has to the rest of the fron tier was used to justify many of our territorial expansions. Manifest Destiny "has also been used to advocate for or justify other territorial acquisitions. Advocates of Manifest Destiny believed that expansion was not only good, but that it was obvious ("manifest") and certain ("destiny")" (Manifest, 2007). This idea is still relevant today, when people feel that America has the right, or even the calling to police other areas of the world. However, America tends to expand without thinking or care towards the native people of the land. When America was first being colonized for example, some historians estimate that up to 80% of some Native populations died due to European diseases"(Native, 2007). This apparent lack of disregard continued through American history, as we took over Native American lands and put them on reservations, all trying to further expand our power. But now, when other peoples look to move into this country, we are not allowing them to do so. Even if this country was one taken on behalf of other people. As America continued to grow, so did its outward policies of getting involved in other countries. However, today we will not return the favor by allowing other counties to send their immigrants to our land. For instance, in 1989 the United States intruded upon Panama, disposing a leader we did not approve of. The United States "incursion into Panama began on December 20, 1989, at 0100 local time. The operation involved 27,684 U.S. troops and over 300 aircraft -including the AC-130 Spectre gunship, OA-37B Dragonfly observation and attack aircraft, and the F-117A Nighthawk stealth aircraft and AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, the AH-64 and the F-117A both seeing their first combat deployment. These were deployed against the 16,000 members of the Panama Defense Force" (United,2007). We also set up a new President, a President we approved of. However, we were really justified in taking action in this region Or was the 'father' idea of the United States getting the best of us Either way, i f we were to invade a country, one would think that we would then allow immigrants from that country. However, one can see today that that is not the case, and that America is

Mutual Funds Articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mutual Funds Articles - Essay Example In many cases, it is seen there has been a change in investing styles. Suppose, suddenly a fund manager leaves a company and joins another company and two new fund managers takes his place. It is quite obvious they would change some things or make some moves to make the working pattern according to their style. It can be quite possible that some of their initial moves may backfire. Many companies keep bench strength by keeping upcoming managers as trainees so that they can tackle emergency situations. At the Pioneer (TAHYX) High Yield fund, the managers are hopeful. Outflows have slowed, and when no manager expects a quick turnaround to the credit crisis, they also note that junk bond investors are being paid for taking on risk. Fund manager transitions can often be a little shaky or rough, especially if the previous manager had achieved great results. The main lesson for investors must be that they should not flee when a star manager moves on but they must make a more informed decision by being aware of challenges a new manager might face. The firms can bench strength of upcoming managers to avoid the transition phase problem, or create terms of managers. Even a planned transition can go wrong but that must not mean that the companies would stop planning about the transition phase well in advance. The article â€Å"Equities In Disguise?† by Greg Miller says that the main component of convertible security is coverable bonds. Other components may include preferred stocks and other hybrid convertible securities. The word â€Å"bond† mainly refers to safety, security, stability, and income. Most of today`s bonds are not true bond funds neither are they return focused. The term â€Å"absolute return† refers to positive returns through both bull and bear markets. Similarly, many convertible funds are not bond funds either. There are many examples that can be cited to prove the validity of this statement. For example, one can take a look at the top

Priestleys Paradox Communication

Priestleys Paradox Communication Communication is an essential part of everyday life. There are many things which have effect on communication, technology having a very large effect. Through the increase of communication technology, there has been a decrease in the quality of effective communication. While considering the theory of Priestleys Paradox, the lack of interpersonal communication in new forms of technology have significantly affected the quality of communication. Modern technologies decrease the quality of communications through the lack of verbal and non-verbal feedback, the distortion of messages and also the unequal access to forms of these technologies. Verbal and non-verbal elements of interpersonal communication have effectively declined due to technology. The most impacted area of communication in society today is interpersonal communication. Interpersonal communication is referenced as communication between two or more people which try to create and understand meaning (Turner West 2009: 8). Throughout interpersonal communication there can be noise. Noise is anything which can distort or prevent communication (Eunson 2008: 18). Interpersonal communication has many elements which contribute to quality communication. Interpersonal communication requires verbal and non-verbal feedback, which is not given effectively through modern technologies. The quality of effective communication is rapidly decreased with the increase of technology. This type of communication (interpersonal communication) has two main elements, verbal and non-verbal skills. Verbal communication is the use of languages, words, sounds and letters and uses great emphasis on tone and pitch. Modern technology therefore decreases the quality of communication because verbal communication is not always possible. Non-verbal communication is communication through only visual forms. Non-verbal consists of gestures, facial expressions, eye contact and numerous other signals of the human body (Eunson 2008: 260). This non-verbal element of communication however cannot be seen through most technologies so distorts the message to the receiver. Both verbal and non-verbal communication skills assist, distort and block communication between indiv iduals (Eunson 2008: 286). The theory of Priestleys Paradox is most relevant when considering the quality of communication through technologies is declining. Email is an example of modern technology which has an impact of the quality of communication. Through email, the receiver cannot communicate using verbal and non-verbal communication. This distortion is happening with all types of technology and is having affect on the interactions of individuals and creating problems. Without face-to-face verbal and non-verbal interactions the sender is unable to make assumptions on the receivers perceptions of the messages. Some particular new technologies have the ability for messages to be distorted excessively due to the language used. Technology has decreased quality of communication because it can cause misunderstanding through abbreviations that distort messages. This particularly effects our societys younger generation. Generation Y in particularly are media interactionists, not knowing a world without media and technology (Kundanis 2003: 43). An example of technology which is most commonly the source of abbreviation is SMS (short messaging service). Evidently, abbreviations are a weak substitute for body language, oral and tonal expression. These are replaced by using uppercase lettering and quirky symbols (emoticons) which leads to misinterpretation while decoding the message as there is no shared meaning of the context (Danet 2001: 17). The English language is often comprised to become shortened abbreviations and phrases. This language has since blended into the everyday modern society causing the younger generations to be less likely using proper English language. While communicating through technology, the sender and receiver need to have a clear understanding of one anothers abbreviations and context or else the message will be distorted. This may then lead to a breakdown in communication if the receiver is unable to decode the message given (Eunson 2008: 14). This is also evident as there is a digital divide between people with the unequal access to technology. The decrease in quality of communication is due to technology not being equally accessible for our whole society. Priestleys Paradox theory expresses the point that people coming from low -economical societies have a greater quality of communication rather than people coming from a higher-economical society because it is filled with modern communication technologies(Eunson 2008: 5). There is a digital divide between people due to new forms of technology. This causes distortion in communication because of the misunderstanding of messages that are received through modern technology. It is now expected of a person to have knowledge of modern technologies which may not be universally accepted due to the unequal access of technology (Turner West 2009: 105). Modern technology-driven communication is constantly revolving, developing and expanding (Eunson 2008: 4). They are expensive and therefore low income earners would not be able update technologies frequently. The digital divide is not only based on this however, there are many other issues. The accessibility of modern technology is affected by geographical location, income status, culture, education and also age (Mossberger, Tolbert Stansbury 2003: 15-23). This causes the decrease in effective communication and interpersonal communication as everyone does not have the same available technology. New technologies have significantly decreased the quality of effective communication. Ultimately interpersonal communication elements such as verbal and non-verbal skills are not able to be effectively used through modern technologies. This can distort messages in communication just like abbreviations can. Both people participating in the communication need to have similar understanding of the context and language or else the quality of communication will be diminished. The digital divide because of the unequal access of modern technology also has an impact of the quality of communication. Priestleys Paradox theory suggests that the quality of communication is minimised because of new technologies. This theory is most evident in modern communication therefore modern technology has decreased the quality of communication. Words: 1021

Pest Control and Waste Management Essay

Pests cause a lot of destruction to the crops. Even though there are lots of chemical pest controls available to help reduce or remove the presence of these destructive pests, the non-chemical pest control is the most reliable and safest form of pest control. One of the most destructive pests that are encountered by many farmers is the beetle. Non-chemical pest control can be done in many different ways like applying balanced fertilizer to keep the crops and soil healthy and free from beetles, removing weeds from that may surround the crops, and using milky spore powder when dealing with Japanese beetles. In addition with these, according to HGTV, â€Å"planting pest-resistant species that contains insecticide in nature can also help in getting rid of these pests(â€Å"Non-Chemical Pest Control†, 2006). † The production of a healthy and productive crop system all depends on the supervision of the farmer itself. Nevertheless, non-chemical pest control is all about prevention. I will not be in opposition to the idea of having hazardous waste landfill, waste treatment plant, deep-injection well, or incinerator in our community. The waste of a community grows enormously as time passes by. These wastes can affect the health and livelihood of a community. The presence of hazardous waste landfill, waste treatment plant, deep-injection well, or incinerator in a certain community reduce the waste that may cause pollution and other negative effects on the residents of a certain community. The hazardous waste landfill keeps the hazardous waste from going into the soil and eventually to our body. Incineration is only an alternative to land filling. Incineration is not a very good way of waste reduction because it produces toxic air pollutants that can even cause a great problem to the health of the community. These systems are of great help in the reduction of waste although it is inevitable that wrong management of these waste management system may always lead to an unlikely consequences like the pollution that can be brought about by incineration.

Analysis Of Dostoevsky And Kierkegaard s The Grand...

What does it mean to have faith? This is not a question of, do you believe in the teachings of your religion, but what is a true believer. Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard are two philosophers that extensively delved with great contemplation and introspection of what it means to be a Christian. Both of these philosophers took a critical microscope to the typical Christian teachings of how to be a â€Å"good Christian.† What both of these philosophers eventually deduced is that the traditional teachings of Christianity remove the person from from ever truly finding the meaning behind their faith; thus separating the devoted from the divine. For both Dostoevsky and Kierkegaard, to be a Christian is more than going through the motions of what the church leaders tell you, but to find out for oneself why they ultimately believe. To convey his notions, Ivan, the main character of Dostoevsky’s story, creates the character the Grand Inquisitor. The Grand Inquisitor is symbolic of the catholic church and the control they hold over the followers of Catholicism. In this story, the Grand Inquisitor is faced with Jesus Christ, whom has come back to earth for the second coming. In on particular instance, The Inquisitor challenges Christ by saying, â€Å"Didst Thou forget that man prefers peace, and even death, to freedom of choice in the knowledge of good and evil? Nothing is more seductive for man than his freedom of conscience, but nothing is a greater cause of suffering† (Dostoevsky, pg 12). To the

The Concept of Collective Consciousness, Defined

Collective consciousness (sometimes collective conscience or conscious) is a fundamental sociological concept that refers to the set of shared beliefs, ideas, attitudes, and knowledge that are common to a social group or society. The collective consciousness informs our sense of belonging and identity, and our behavior. Founding sociologist Émile Durkheim developed this concept to explain how unique individuals are bound together into collective units like social groups and societies. How Collective Consciousness Holds Society Together What is it that holds society together? This was the central question that preoccupied Durkheim as he wrote about the new industrial societies of the 19th century. By considering the documented habits, customs, and beliefs of traditional and primitive societies, and comparing those to what he saw around him in his own life, Durkheim crafted some of the most important theories in sociology. He concluded that society exists because unique individuals feel a sense of solidarity with each other. This is why we can form collectives and work together to achieve community and functional societies. The collective consciousness, or  conscience collective  as he wrote it in French, is the source of this solidarity. Durkheim first introduced his theory of the collective consciousness in his 1893 book The Division of Labor in Society. (Later, he would also rely on the concept in other books, including Rules of the Sociological Method, Suicide, and The Elementary Forms of Religious Life.)  In this text, he explains that the phenomenon is the totality of beliefs and sentiments common to the average members of a society. Durkheim observed that in traditional or primitive societies,  religious symbols, discourse, beliefs, and rituals fostered the collective consciousness. In such cases, where social groups were quite homogenous (not distinct by race or class, for example), the collective consciousness resulted in what Durkheim termed a mechanical solidarity — in effect an automatic binding together of people into a collective through their shared values, beliefs, and practices. Durkheim observed that in the modern, industrialized societies that characterized Western Europe and the young United States when he wrote, which functioned via a division of labor, an organic solidarity emerged based on the mutual reliance individuals and groups had on others in order to allow for a society to function. In cases such as these, religion still played an important role in producing collective consciousness among groups of people affiliated with various religions, but other social institutions and structures would also work to produce the collective consciousness necessary for this more complex form of solidarity, and rituals outside of religion would play important roles in reaffirming it. Social Institutions Produce Collective Consciousness These other institutions include the state (which fosters patriotism and nationalism), news and popular media (which spreads all kinds of ideas and practices, from how to dress, to who to vote for, to how to date and be married), education (which molds us into compliant citizens and workers), and the police and judiciary (which shape our notions of right and wrong, and direct our behavior through threat of or actual physical force), among others. Rituals that serve to reaffirm the collective conscious range from parades and holiday celebrations to sporting events, weddings, grooming ourselves according to gender norms, and even shopping (think Black Friday). In either case — primitive or modern societies — collective consciousness is something common to the whole of society, as Durkheim put it. It is not an individual condition or phenomenon, but a social one. As a social phenomenon, it is diffused across society as a whole, and has a life of its own. It is through collective consciousness that values, beliefs, and traditions can be passed down through generations. Though individual people live and die, this collection of intangible things, including the social norms connected to them, are cemented in our social institutions and thus exist independent of individual people. Most important to understand is that collective consciousness is the result of social forces that are external to the individual, that course through society, and that work together to create the social phenomenon of the shared set of beliefs, values, and ideas that compose it. We, as individuals, internalize these and  make the collective consciousness a reality by doing so, and we reaffirm and reproduce it by living in ways that reflect it.