The occupation of a doctor is regarded to be one of the noblest. However, there have been a few of them who were on the opposite end of the scale. These doctors, who were supposed to save lives, subjected their patients to horrific experiments and killed many of them. Here is a list of top 10 notorious doctors in history.
5.
Harold Shipman
Harold Shipman was a British doctor who is considered to be one of the most prolific serial killers in history. Since he began medical practice in 1974, he has sent more than two hundred people to death. His criminal activities only emerged in 1998, when other doctors began to notice the high death rate among his patients. Shipman was prosecuted in 2000, for 15 deaths and forgery of wills, and sentenced for 15 life terms. However, he hanged himself in his prison cell in 2004.
4.
John Bodkin Adams
John Bodkin Adams was a British doctor who was allegedly responsible for the death of 160 patients, especially elderly people, during his practice between 1946 and 1956. The most peculiar thing about the case is that 132 of those who died left huge sums of money and other assets to him in their will. It was believed that the wills were written by Adams himself. Although he was brought to court several times, he couldn’t be convicted. He continued his practice until his death.
3.
H. H. Holmes
Dr. Henry Howard Holmes was one of the earliest recorded serial killers in American history. Born as Herman Mudgett, he graduated from Michigan Medical School. He used to steal bodies during his study, and disfigure them to claim the deaths to be accidents and get insurance amounts. He later moved to Chicago and started a hotel. The hotel was virtually a torture chamber where the inmates frequently disappeared. Holmes would torture and kill the people, especially women, in the basement. He used to strip the bodies of flesh and make skeleton models. Holmes was eventually caught and hanged in 1897.
2.
Michael Swango
Michael Swango is a former doctor from America, who is convicted for killing three patients, despite over 60 killings are attributed to him. His fascination with blood and death reflected in his medical career. During his internship at Ohio State University, the nurses there observed that his patients dying mysteriously. No results emerged in investigation though he was expelled. Later he moved to Illinois, and used to poison his colleagues there. He was caught and sentenced. After his release, he forged documents and worked in Zimbabwe as a doctor, leading many patients to death. He escaped from there but was caught in 1997. Now he is serving a life sentence.
1.
Josef Mengele
Josef Rudolf Mengele is perhaps the most notorious doctor in history. Known as the ‘Angel of Death’, this German doctor’s atrocities during the World War II, are difficult to take count, let alone to fathom. Having been conscripted to Army after graduation, he served in the Waffen SS. His evil acts, masked as medical experiments, started when he was appointed as the medical officer in Aushwitz concentration camp. Amputations, shock treatments, sterilisation and serum injections were all part of his practice. Very few survived his experiments. After the war, he evaded arrest by escaping to South America.
Harold Shipman was a British doctor who is considered to be one of the most prolific serial killers in history. Since he began medical practice in 1974, he has sent more than two hundred people to death. His criminal activities only emerged in 1998, when other doctors began to notice the high death rate among his patients. Shipman was prosecuted in 2000, for 15 deaths and forgery of wills, and sentenced for 15 life terms. However, he hanged himself in his prison cell in 2004.
John Bodkin Adams was a British doctor who was allegedly responsible for the death of 160 patients, especially elderly people, during his practice between 1946 and 1956. The most peculiar thing about the case is that 132 of those who died left huge sums of money and other assets to him in their will. It was believed that the wills were written by Adams himself. Although he was brought to court several times, he couldn’t be convicted. He continued his practice until his death.
Dr. Henry Howard Holmes was one of the earliest recorded serial killers in American history. Born as Herman Mudgett, he graduated from Michigan Medical School. He used to steal bodies during his study, and disfigure them to claim the deaths to be accidents and get insurance amounts. He later moved to Chicago and started a hotel. The hotel was virtually a torture chamber where the inmates frequently disappeared. Holmes would torture and kill the people, especially women, in the basement. He used to strip the bodies of flesh and make skeleton models. Holmes was eventually caught and hanged in 1897.
Michael Swango is a former doctor from America, who is convicted for killing three patients, despite over 60 killings are attributed to him. His fascination with blood and death reflected in his medical career. During his internship at Ohio State University, the nurses there observed that his patients dying mysteriously. No results emerged in investigation though he was expelled. Later he moved to Illinois, and used to poison his colleagues there. He was caught and sentenced. After his release, he forged documents and worked in Zimbabwe as a doctor, leading many patients to death. He escaped from there but was caught in 1997. Now he is serving a life sentence.
Josef Rudolf Mengele is perhaps the most notorious doctor in history. Known as the ‘Angel of Death’, this German doctor’s atrocities during the World War II, are difficult to take count, let alone to fathom. Having been conscripted to Army after graduation, he served in the Waffen SS. His evil acts, masked as medical experiments, started when he was appointed as the medical officer in Aushwitz concentration camp. Amputations, shock treatments, sterilisation and serum injections were all part of his practice. Very few survived his experiments. After the war, he evaded arrest by escaping to South America.
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