The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-15
PARIS GOSSIP.
THE GUILLoTINE.

THE GU1LLorGNE.
The whole seance of the Academic dc Medicine !
recently was occupied with discussion concerning
the possibility of sensation in tho human head de-
captated and separated from the body by the gull
lotine. The subject has now and then occupied
the researches OF some OF the most crudite and
scientific men of the age. Neither attack nor de-
fence OF the argument can be- sustained by proof,
gument to the end Of all time. The inquirer on
the present occasion is Dubois d'Amicns, whose
elaborate memoir on tho subject has excited the
greatest interest amongst the medical men, Of
Paris BY dint Of research Dubois dAnicns has
discovered the real inventor of the gulotine to
have been not the DR.. Guilotinc after whom the
general belief that it was first employed
by him to human sacrfice but, the ccc-
tary to the Academy OF Medicine 1T tho time of tho
revolution, and the doctor most III vogue amongst
tho aristocracy, whether couiined in prison, con.
ccalcd i'll garrets, or starving in obscure situations
throughout Paris. 1t was by the energetic re-
monStrances Of the great, surgeon Lonis concern
poor by means of hanging, and such terrible suf-
fcring in the case Of the nobes-who were dccapi-
tated by the sword, which, in nineteen cases out OF
fourth blow, thus prolonging the bitterness OF
death, and procuring lengthened torture to tho
victim T. in reality fr Dr. GuotnG who
Of the time ridculing tho, petition, imagiln-
called "grilotne;" 80 that the hidcous
thing had found o name before it was in
vented. The legislative committee had consulted
the Secretary Louis upon the most painless mode
of taking human lifo and his report upon the sub
ect was printed i'll tho Moniteur Of the odd March,
s The Report eIn BY a to
leys, upon the principle of the common sash win
dow still in use in England and throughout tho
straight upon the neck of the victim and cause
immediate decaptation. The usual result with
men ofscience took place i'll this instance with Louis
hnoo aof ,f{1 had
taken to plead, and sent for o certain clever mo-
chanc named Smith, who constructed machine
I'll certain experiments h I sd the
guiding the axe in an entirely oblique direction
he discovered that heads could be severed in any
quantity to the shortest time possible 1t was not
till the 25th of April following that the instrument
completed. It was tried on highway robber
and found te 81 succeed perfectly It was on the 2ss
execution took place by means Of the gullotine
The ceremony was invested with all the pomp and
circumstance Of public spectacle + took place
and in presence of tremendous crowd, amid the
most awful stiffness, From this night the guillo-
accep e and @ has nevar been a1btsed az 10 the
smallest improvement or alteration ever
since; bnt just as it issued from the
the mechanic Smith so does it now execute
the decree which condemns it to satisfy the
necessity experienced by governments to sweep
lect and parsimony Of information amongst the
people Whence it produced the crime, which, not
having been yiglant enough to prevent, they must
great desideratum Of their celerity was accom-
plished by the guillotine 1t worked bravely as
heart could wish. The twenty-one Girondins, all
young and brave, and full of life and youthful vgor
were decapitated in thirty-one minutes. The Very
celebrity with which the machine performs its
Office has made us take for granted that the pain
if any, must Of necessity be but momentary. But
brings forward many examples by which the pos.
sibty not only Of suffering but consequences I ISM for
from the body may be establish d.
The experiments made at the abattoirs about
thirty years ago have been renewed by Dubois,
and with the same result-that Of perfect belief
in the duration Of not only sensibty, but thought
in the head for full five minutes after decapitation
man body af st on, c, but by slow degrees, and the
brain survives the rest by three or four m nutes.
This is the opinion expressed by, Dr. Bonchatee
who, for tie last few years, has devoted himself
entirely to the study Of this important question
Those doctors who have had the opportunity o.
heads al After dff% at On
brain for some little time. The medical maj
whowes allowed to- examine the head Of La Pc
ket was 30 terrified OF the look Of horror OK
pressed in the eyes that he let go his hold ant
suffered it to fall back again unable to Sustain tina
frightfui glance: Three minutes afterwards h
took courage and looked again, when he perceive.
the face agitated by convulsiye movements, whicl
lasted for some time, Dubois affiIms that ever
when life has departed from tho head it may be re
stored to animation. His experiment., made upol
several sheep Mt the dbauoris consisted in the in
junction of fresh blood, with oxygen into tn
veins. The blood, on flowing to the brain, renew
the life in that organ; and Professor Vaipin atel
expressed his conviction, in one Of his lectures
that the same experiment might be made wit
equal success upon the human head, and that til
life and intelligence might be restored for a whi
even after separation from the body. The ,exper
ment is supposed to have been made upon the me
belonging to the Federis Arcr who were ell fol
beheaded at Brest the other day. Should it ha'
proved successful, we shall not be long befo
hearing Of it, as the subject has become one
general interest amongst medical men.