Leo Alexander
Encyclopedia
Dr. Leo Alexander was an American psychiatrist
, neurologist
, educator, and author, of Austrian-Jewish
origin. He was a key medical advisor during the Nuremberg Trials
. Alexander wrote part of the Nuremberg Code
, which provides legal and ethical principles for scientific experiment on humans
.
, Austria-Hungary
, Alexander was the son of a physician. He graduated from the University of Vienna
Medical School in 1929, interned in psychiatry at the University of Frankfurt, then emigrated to the United States in 1933. He taught at the medical schools of Harvard University
and Duke University
. During the war, he worked in Europe under United States Secretary of War
Robert P. Patterson
as an army medical investigator with the rank of Major
. After the war, he was appointed chief medical advisor to Telford Taylor
, the U.S. Chief of Counsel for War Crimes, and participated in the Nuremberg Trials
in November 1946. He conceived the principles of the Nuremberg Code
after observing and documenting German SS medical experiments at Dachau, and instances of sterilization and euthanasia
. In Doctors of Infamy (1946), he suggested that political drive and cowardice were the main motives behind the Nazis' use of torture on human subjects. The dictatorship had subjugated medicine to non-scientific ends, such as the accrual of power: "rational utility" trumped morality. Alexander later wrote that "science under dictatorship becomes subordinated to the guiding philosophy of the dictatorship."
Later, he served as assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University
Medical School, where he stayed for almost 30 years. As a consultant for the Boston Police Department
, Alexander was instrumental in solving the Boston Strangler
case. He directed the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Boston State Hospital, where he researched multiple sclerosis
and studied neuropathology
. He arranged for the treatment of 40 German Nazi concentration camp victims who had been injected by Dr. Josef Mengele
with a precursor to gas gangrene
, and provided them with psychiatric therapy. Alexander wrote several books on psychiatry and neuropathology, and coined the terms thanatology
—defined as the study of death—and ktenology—the science of killing.
Alexander died of cancer in 1985 in Weston, Massachusetts
, survived by three children.
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
, neurologist
Neurologist
A neurologist is a physician who specializes in neurology, and is trained to investigate, or diagnose and treat neurological disorders.Neurology is the medical specialty related to the human nervous system. The nervous system encompasses the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves. A specialist...
, educator, and author, of Austrian-Jewish
History of the Jews in Austria
The history of the Jews in Austria likely originates in an exodus of Jews from the Roman occupation of Israel. During the course of many centuries, the political status of the community rose and fell many times: during certain periods, the Jewish community prospered and enjoyed political equality,...
origin. He was a key medical advisor during the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
. Alexander wrote part of the Nuremberg Code
Nuremberg Code
The Nuremberg Code is a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation set as a result of the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials at the end of the Second World War.-Background:...
, which provides legal and ethical principles for scientific experiment on humans
Human experimentation
Human subject research includes experiments and observational studies. Human subjects are commonly participants in research on basic biology, clinical medicine, nursing, psychology, and all other social sciences. Humans have been participants in research since the earliest studies...
.
Life
Born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
, Alexander was the son of a physician. He graduated from the University of Vienna
University of Vienna
The University of Vienna is a public university located in Vienna, Austria. It was founded by Duke Rudolph IV in 1365 and is the oldest university in the German-speaking world...
Medical School in 1929, interned in psychiatry at the University of Frankfurt, then emigrated to the United States in 1933. He taught at the medical schools of Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
and Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
. During the war, he worked in Europe under United States Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
Robert P. Patterson
Robert P. Patterson
Robert Porter Patterson was the United States Under Secretary of War under President Franklin Roosevelt and the United States Secretary of War under President Harry S. Truman from September 27, 1945 to July 18, 1947....
as an army medical investigator with the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. After the war, he was appointed chief medical advisor to Telford Taylor
Telford Taylor
Telford Taylor was an American lawyer best known for his role in the Counsel for the Prosecution at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, his opposition to Senator Joseph McCarthy in the 1950s, and his outspoken criticism of U.S...
, the U.S. Chief of Counsel for War Crimes, and participated in the Nuremberg Trials
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
in November 1946. He conceived the principles of the Nuremberg Code
Nuremberg Code
The Nuremberg Code is a set of research ethics principles for human experimentation set as a result of the Subsequent Nuremberg Trials at the end of the Second World War.-Background:...
after observing and documenting German SS medical experiments at Dachau, and instances of sterilization and euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
. In Doctors of Infamy (1946), he suggested that political drive and cowardice were the main motives behind the Nazis' use of torture on human subjects. The dictatorship had subjugated medicine to non-scientific ends, such as the accrual of power: "rational utility" trumped morality. Alexander later wrote that "science under dictatorship becomes subordinated to the guiding philosophy of the dictatorship."
Later, he served as assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
Medical School, where he stayed for almost 30 years. As a consultant for the Boston Police Department
Boston Police Department
The Boston Police Department , created in 1838, holds the primary responsibility for law enforcement and investigation within the city of Boston, Massachusetts. It is one of the oldest police departments in the United States...
, Alexander was instrumental in solving the Boston Strangler
Boston Strangler
The Boston Strangler is a name attributed to the murderer of several women in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, in the early 1960s. Though the crimes were attributed to Albert DeSalvo, investigators of the case have since suggested the murders were not committed by one person.-First Stage...
case. He directed the Multiple Sclerosis Center at Boston State Hospital, where he researched multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
and studied neuropathology
Neuropathology
Neuropathology is the study of disease of nervous system tissue, usually in the form of either small surgical biopsies or whole autopsy brains. Neuropathology is a subspecialty of anatomic pathology, neurology, and neurosurgery...
. He arranged for the treatment of 40 German Nazi concentration camp victims who had been injected by Dr. Josef Mengele
Josef Mengele
Josef Rudolf Mengele , also known as the Angel of Death was a German SS officer and a physician in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. He earned doctorates in anthropology from Munich University and in medicine from Frankfurt University...
with a precursor to gas gangrene
Gas gangrene
Gas gangrene is a bacterial infection that produces gas tissues in gangrene. It is a deadly form of gangrene usually caused by Clostridium perfringens bacteria. It is a medical emergency....
, and provided them with psychiatric therapy. Alexander wrote several books on psychiatry and neuropathology, and coined the terms thanatology
Thanatology
Thanatology is the scientific study of death. It investigates the mechanisms and forensic aspects of death, such as bodily changes that accompany death and the post-mortem period, as well as wider social aspects related to death. It is primarily an interdisciplinary study offered as a course of...
—defined as the study of death—and ktenology—the science of killing.
Alexander died of cancer in 1985 in Weston, Massachusetts
Weston, Massachusetts
Weston is a suburb of Boston located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States in the Boston metro area. The population of Weston, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, is 11,261....
, survived by three children.