Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-06-01
EXECUTIONS.
How to Execute Criminals Painlessly-A
Sacramento Chemist Gives His Ideas on
the Subject.

Saturdays issue, May 9th, headed want.
ed, a Substitute for Hanging, would re.
spectfully add the little knowledge gained in
making experiments with electricity and car.
bonic acid tCO2) upon small animals. About
ten years ago, while taking plaster casts OF
frogs, previously knocked on the hoad, |
made the discovery, after cutting out the
frog from its plaster housing, that the animal
had regained It's former Qualities Of jumping,
aad was a. good as aew. Thinking that the
frog was OILY stunned, another frog was
treated az previously stated, and as b precau
tiOnAry measure knife having sharp point
was run through its head. In procuring a
mold a wrigglinE frog is disadvantage, and
it is desirable that the subject used as cast
should be deprived of life entirely. On cut
ting out this second animal, TO my surprise 1t
also had fully recovered its strength, and this
took place with FIVE different sissd frogs OF
which casts were taken. ] came to the con-
clusion that an emphibious animal, ike
frog, had rather tenacious life, else plaster
OF Paris resuscitated them. In the spring OF
1873 resided in the upper portion OF
this city, and found in the vicinity some
very large-sized toads. | concluded to ex
pertinent further upon this ugly creature,
which is known by the more Intelligent as
the gardener : friend. One OF these fellows
was placed under the receiver Of an air-pump
and the air gradually exhausted, making In
the meantime observations how greatly the
toad would be astonished when finding itself
gradually in a rlrifed atmosphere or, in
other words, inhaling less and less oxygen.
When the mercury in the manometer showed
that the air was almost pumped out, Tor en-
tiTely il cannot be 10 those pumps, the
toad was noticed to breathe somewt at more
rapidly, but otherwise showed no signs OF be.
ing the least Inconvenience. To me 1t proved
that an animal of that specie can retain life
on a very small quantity of oxygen but to
test the undertaking further, the animal was
retained in its prison, the air being contlna-
ally exhausted it was found at the end OF
thfes or four days that no apparent injury
was inflicted by the treatment the subject
underwent.
Now. in order to see what difference there
would be between cold-blooded amphibious
animal and m-biooded one, mouse was
placed under the receiver. AT the frs. stroke
Of the pump it showed great uneasiness, and
at the third and fourth exhaustion it had
ceased to live for want OF air.
Another toad was next treated to cleo
tricity, applying first very weak battery
power, with a rather powerful induction coil.
The tead was placed on q copper-plate in con-
nection with one Of the terminals of
the coil, the end had glass-rod at
tached to the wire, and with the point of
the wire the animal was touched at various
parts of its anatomy. Wherever touched,
instant contortions of the body took place,
and after several contacts white matter or
psrspirstion appeared on the skin, of which
the odor was not of a quality that would re-
mind one of "Arsby the .blest or the
valley of the Roses" This may be one of
its weapons, as the toad is not very danger
Gus animal otherwise. The full battery
power of two Bunsen's cells in good order
was then applied a0d the discovery made
that touch f the wire stretched out the an.
imal to the fullest extent, lifeless. and subse
quent experiments by im5eddiIg in plaster
could not resuscitate it. The operation is so
rapidly carried out that one is almost aston
ished how an animated being can from life to
death be thus instantly carried. The last
experiment was repeated several times, and
always with the same results. There was no
bringing back to life again after the operation
or the application Of the wire to the body.
Knowing the powerful effect carbenic acid
(CO2) has on the life of any breathing an.
imal, one of the toads was placed in q glass
Jar which had hole bored through at its
bottom, into which glass tube was cemented
and connected with generator of carboric
acid. This experiment is very simple and
All that is necessary is what
has been already mentioned then the adding
a flask, in which small piece of marble or
carbonate of lime is placed. A glass tube,
with a small funnel attached at the
outer end, reaches to the bottom of tie
Jar, and another tube is bent at
right angles and connected with the vessel in
which the subject is placed. The tubes are
of course passed through common cork or
India rubber stopples, to make the apparatus
fright Ths tube connecting with the re-
ceiver only reaches little beyond the cork.
After connecting the receiver in this Casa
ar with the generator-sH that is necessary
is to pour diluted hydrochloric acid FL Cl
into it by means of the small funnel and the
action begins-i. E., in the law Of chemistry
stronger acid will always drive out, so to say,
BILE, chalk, or any carbonate is attacked by
the acid, the carbonic scid always in
a gaseous state when not arli6cially
compressedl is liberated, and passes
out, driving tue air before its as it is
the heaviest In the chemical sense another
compound is formed, and the formula mfy be
set down thus: Ca Cos water = 2HCl Hydro
chloric acid )=CaCl2 Calcium chloride) + HOO
water &C OF (carbonic acid gas) 1t is
simply converted into o chloride while the
carbonic acid escapes. If sulphuric acid is
used, sulphate Of lime is the result with
the escape Of the gas. In order for fair view
the subject may be placed on perforated
platform about oue-third or half from the
bottom of the jar. After connection is made,
all that is necessary is to pour the acid
through the funnel, and as soon as the vicinity
is reached where the animal breathes the
natural atmosphere, and that is driven out, it
will be dead There is very little struggle
and the work appears { be well dom, for the
subject cannot be brought back to lite by the
process previously mentioned, nor by mild
shocks Of electricity.
There is no doubt the same thing might be
accomplished by carbonic oxide lCOl. but
in the use of this gas there would be more
hope in restoring to life, if efforts are made
shortly after asphyxiatiDr. The latter is
the gas that generally has the most effect
when people are suffocated by the escape OF
Illuminating gas, for in that gas there is
always from to II per cent, and frequently
much more, present. Il is the same gas
generated in charcoal fire when first started,
and is resorted to in large cities of Europe as
method of slipping out Of this world of
tribulation on cheap scale. 1t burns with
a beautiful blue fame, but of different hue
from chlorine, which also shows q blue color
burn, but puts out any fire or anything de-
pending upon oxygen To the plant it is
life to the Animal it is death when inhaled
In adopting either method for capital pun.
ishment, in my eyes electricity has the pref
erepce. and the induction coil should not be
used for the purpose. The drawback in the
application of electricity is that it is more
expensive, and sort of two-edged sword
in the hands of the inexperienced. The law
compels the Sheriff to end the murderers
life, but if the operator shows any careless
ness he will have to keep company with the
criminal while passing to the other world. In
the application OF carbonic acid not the
slightest danger ia to be feared, and little
child could pour the acid into the generator
or the gas, previously stored up and hber-
ated when required, could b. turned on as in
an ordinary gas-pipe. The receiver, or box
iuclosing the victim, copll b0 made to look
quite inviting in the interior. In either
method there is cleanliness. In depriving
man of life by electricity static as well as
gslyanic electricity could be used; the first,
however, would be unreliable in damp weather.
The dynamo. electric machine, or the
new or improved Faure's secondary battery
would be most serviceable. In the latter ev-
erything could be prepared previously. At
the time of execution, for instance, the SEN
fenced person is placed barefooted upon
metallic platform, on the top of his head the
hair is removed sufficiently to cover part of
the scalp with some metallic substance, say
pIatina foil-to be more effective the spot
nav be moistened with acidulated water.
The platform is connected with the battery,
the other end is in the hands of the operator,
properly insulated, and when the word is
given, contact is made by touching the foil
placed on the head, and, if the current has
been strong, the person will not have suffi-
Gent time to discover what hurt him, for
electricity moves more rapidly than the
nerves in communicating to the brain: Pre-
vision should be made in all cases for the
body to be placed in the hands OF the
medical fraternity; better still, medical
college, and only the most experienced
surgeons should be engaged in the dissection.
Records should be kept describing how the
operation was carried out f; in what condition
the brain was found; age, size and nativity