/    +RL LEVIN
       MICHIQAN

WASHINGTON. D.C. 20510

Never 9, 1981

Dr. Everett C. Koop
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Health
Department of Health and Human Services
200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Rm. 716-G
Washington, D.C. 20201

DearDr. Koop:

   Thank you for responding to my letter of November 2, 1981. After
having received your response of November 5, 1981, I obtained the book
A Sign of Cain, by Frederic Wertham, as you suggested.

   I am unable to find any reference to the fact that "two-hundred
and sixty-seven thousand people were destroyed this way in Germany before
Hitler came to power", (emphasis added).  This Way"', according to you
was the gassing and destruction of The mentally ill, the retarded,
criminals, and defective babies".

   It is my understanding that Frederic Wertham estimates in his book
that 275,000 psychiatric patients were killed between 1939 and 1946.
Hitler came to power in 1933.

   I am writing again today regarding my original request for doc-
umentation of your statement that these people were killed before
Hitler came to power.  I would most appreciate a prompt response to my
inquiry,  Thank you.

Sincerely,

Carl Levin