Author response: Hans Jacob and brain research on Hamburg "euthanasia" victims: "Awaiting further brains!"

I appreciate Dr. Burlon's response to my article,1 highlighting not only the tragic actions of 2 doctors, but also a strategy to employ when deciding how to best care for patients. By questioning whether they would have implemented "euthanasia" on neuropsychiatric patients if they were close relatives and not institutionalized "useless eaters," perhaps Drs. Knigge and Bayer would not have murdered. In addition, part of Knigge's motivation, to scientifically evaluate the murdered patients' brains, was fulfilled by Hans Jacob, who performed the neuropathologic examinations. Jacob's work lent legitimacy to Knigge's killing, as did the work of other neuropathologists at the time.2 If Jacob had refused to do the examinations, would Knigge have had that additional motivation?

Source: Neurology - September 4, 2017 Category: Neurology Authors: Zeidman, L. A. Tags: WRITECLICK & amp;reg; EDITOR ' S CHOICE Source Type: research