The Hartford herald., 1879-12-24

of the blood will stagnate and remain ;
but there is no proof that he is not con-
scious, for a few seconds at least, and
some proof that he Is. This can easily
he shown with a chicken. five separate
the head and watch it closely, we will
be able to detect movement Of the
eyelids, contraction and dilatation of
the iris, and even an opening and clos
ing Of the mouth. What v curious, /
have found that when the head b
wrung or twisted off, these movements
continue preceptibly longer time than
when We sever il quickly with knife
or AK. The explanation of this il SIM
plea torn or twisted artery bleeds
slowly, II at all.
REFLEX ACTION.
1t will be urged that this theory of
death by decapitation completely ig-
nores the theory of Iefiection-and ad-
NIT that with no better illustrations
than these I can not hope toprove these
apparently sentient movements to be
due to anything more than reflex ac-
ton. But there are many recorded
and some authenticated cases of these
same motions perceived i'm human
heads, after separation from the body
We are generally inclined to look upon
such tales as idle legends, but they are
not necessarily 50, and there is no suf-
ficient reason to doubt even the posi-
bility of the heads instantaneously ar
ticulating when the line of severance
has been below the nerves and muscles
of articulation. We have all read the
story of the execution of Sir Kenelm
Digby-how, when the executioner, as
was the custom in those days, held the
head i'm the air before the assembled
multitude and said, "This Is the head
of traitor" the lips answered, "You
lie." Such u scence, while improbable
is not impossible, for strong will,
knowing what was to occur, might
have articulated the words i'm the in
slant of consciousness left to him.
Again the cheek of Marie Antoinette
Redeemed with anger when slapped by
by the executioner. These sentient
movements can not be explained by
the theory of reflex action. A good IL
lustration of purely reflex action was
seen i'm Paris recently, when the body
of a criminal-the first of double exc
cution-stOOd erect in the basket, actu-
ally forcing open the lid. Ii Is also well
seen in the lOng-continued eontortions
of the chickens body, but Is, l believe,
altogether distinct from that other SEN
tient motion perceptible in the severed
head of any animal. Having pointed
out the error commonly held i'm regard
tn the amount of conscious suffering m
cident to both hanging and decapita-
ton, / submit modification which
nm nh H.
preliminary administration of ehloro-
form. Ii fully meets the recognized
ends of justice, absolutely does away with
all physical suffering, and, il adopted
as "a modification, Is applicable to any
Of the present forms of execution. In
the first place, would such measure
really defeat the legitimate ends Of
justice. We demand the death Of GER
tain criminals for three reasons-to pun
ish them, to prevent their doing more
harm and to deter Others from follow
ing their example: Ii Il not necessary
TO consider the second of these reasons
in this connection.
ANSWERING OBJEcrIONs.
In regard to the Others, would the
VI Ia
diminish the severity of the punish
ment? As far as the physical pain Is
concerned il would totally annul il.
But all men are agreed that mental suf-
fering Is far more unbearable than any
amount of physical pain, and L take IL
that pain, like pleasure, Is more than
half i'm the anticipation. The French
and Germans more humane than we,
recognize this fact and only give their
criminals few hours notice Of the
time Of execution, thus partly sparing
them long mental torture. My meas
ure would not diminish this part of the
punishment. IL Is the appointed death
men dread, not the manner of their
taking off, and indeed to the class from
which the majority Of our criminals
come the very quietness OF such death
would add TO the intensity Of their
dread of il. IL would be much harder
for many men to submit to the sponge
in the seclusion Of their cell than to as
eend the scaffold in the presence OF the
noisy crowds before whom they have
nerved themselves to meet their deaih
with indifference, II not braggadoeio.
On the other hand, would the admins
tration of chloroform lessen the deterr-
ing effects of the punishment? i have
this question in answering
the preceding. II such u death Is
equally to be dreaded by the criminal
then it also fully meets the third pur-
pose of the law. In favor of the adop-
ton Of this measure, whether as a mod
of the present forms of capital
or better, as a substitute
for them, would urge, first, the facili-
ty of its applications. 1t Is indeed 50
easy Of application that 1t Is often liable
TO become a substitute where IL might
only have been intended as a prepara-
ton, and this fact, should it ever be
generally tried as a modification would
believe, ultimately lead To its adop- !
lion as the only and sufficient means Of
putting our criminals out of the |
way. If thoroughly given the subse-
luent hanging or decapitation would be |
superfious, as the man would die long |
before we could get him to the scaffold,
provided We carried him ut all erect. !
The comparatively numerous deaths re-
ported from the dentists chairs are al |
ways due to the fact that the ansethetie |
Is given while the man b i'm semi-up-
right position, with the head higher /
han the heart. These deaths are rs "
norantly rs they are Invariably attrbt-
ed to the presence Of heart disease. In
chloroform t. the crimi-
nal, none of that care would be necces-
'ary which we find 50 requisite in CIV
ng 1t for surgicaloperstions- whifftoo
much or too strong, a moments mat
entiOn, the slightest pressure upon the
Cloths or even raising the head, would
inevitably kill the man outright
Besides being 30 easy Of application