THE RUDOLF REPORT

7. ZYKLON B FOR THE KILLING OF HUMAN BEINGShydrogen cyanide.Graph 10 shows the behavior of the breathing volume per minuteof persons dying of suffocation or poisoning (biochemical suffocations).Respiratory arrest occurs at the end of this period of time (at 5).Death occurs only several minutes after respiratory arrest. If one assumesa time period of 5 minutes until respiratory arrest, the assumedbreathing volume during each single minute is: 1.: 20 l; 2.: 30 l; 3.: 50l; 4.: 80 l; 5.: 30 l. 422 In total, this yields a breathing volume of ca.210 l. Furthermore, we assume that the function is independent of thelength of time until respiratory arrest. This means that the doubleamount of air is inhaled if the time period would be doubled.Regarding morgue 1 (‘gas chamber’) of crematorium II, we havethe following data: Volume: 504 m 3 ; volume of 1,000 persons: ca. 75m 3 ; resulting free air volume: ca. 430 m 3 . First, the oxygen content inthe room may be studied. In Table 9, the total inhaled volume of 1,000victims is given in m 3 and multiples of the free air volume as a functionof time. The average oxygen content is reduced by 20-30% perinhalation. This results in the remaining oxygen content in the chamberas given in the last two columns. Oxygen contents below 6% are lethal.473 So, even without adding any toxic gas, we have to reckon withthe victims being suffocated in an airtight chamber already after some45-60 minutes.If one increases the 100number of locked-up80persons, this process isaccelerated accordingly.However, if therewere Zyklon B holes inthe morgues I of crematoriumII and IIIduring wartime, contraryto the resultsachieved before, theserooms could not besealed off in an air tightbreathing volume [l/min]60402000 1 2 3 4 5t [arbitrary unit]Graph 10: Schematic representation of thebreathing volume behavior relative to time incase of suffocation/poisoning.473 Y. Henderson, H.W. Haggard, Noxious Gases, Reinhold Publishing, New York 1943, pp.144f.; J.S. Haldane, J.G. Priestley, Respiration, Yale University Press, New Haven 1935, pp.223f.213