Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-08-28
ELECTRICITY as an Executioue er.

into effect in the State of New York, to
carry out capital punishment by electric
ity. But it now appears that the electri-
clans, who have been experimenting
with animals, are losing faith in electric
ity as an executioner. Given the elec-
trical resistance of a metallic substance,
an expert electrician can readily calcu-
late the amount of electro-motive force
necessary to affect it in different degrees,
from making it transmit the tones Of
the human voice to causing its de-
struction by heat; but the resist
ance of animate bodies is not
uniform, and, moreover, varies materi-
ally in the same body under different
conditions. 1t has been found, for in
stance, that the resistance in different
dogs experimental upon varied ell the
way from 5000 to 27 800 ohms. Nor did
the size of the dog apparently have any
thing to do with il, as ten-pound dog
measured $500 ohms resistance, a fifty
nine-pound one only 5000 and fifty
six-pound one went as high as 1900
ohms, while the 5000 ohms resistance
was found in one weighing fifty-tive
pounds. That there are other condi.
tions entering into the capacity of dogs
to receive electric shocks than the
resistance was also demonstrated by the
tests, as one dog of 5000 ohms resistance
was killed with 1000 volt and d am
pere current. Another of equal resis-
tance stood seven shocks of from 900
volts and lilo ampere measurement up
to 400 volts and 1-5 ampere respective
ly without apparent result, and was as
playful after as before the experiments.
These experiments we're with the con-
tinuous current. With the same varia-
tions in the power of resistance of crimi-
nails, one man might be killed by very
slight current, whilst another would re-
sist current of the highest force.
There is no way, it appears, known
to science, by which the resistance
power Of any particular individual can
be ascertained, SO that it would be i'm
possible, in producing death in some
cases, to avoid mutilating the culprit in
most shocking and revolving manner.
A few instances of such mutilation
would, of course, result in the condemna-
tion of the whole method. But there is
still further objection raised. Sir Will
liam Thompson says that the action of
electricity on the human heart is similar
to polarization, and it is a known
fact that metals affected by polariza-
ton can be restored readily to
their normal condition, or depolarized.
Reasoning from this, we might be con-
fronted with cases in which the law had
been carried out as far as it would be
possible to determine at the execution,
and yet the subject be afterwards re-
stored to life. Indeed, here is an actual
instance to sustain this theory: On the
29th of July last H. M. Stevens, Boston
electrician, was apparently killed by
electricity in Lowell, Massachusetts,. He
came in contact with highly charged
electric light wire, and the current
passed through his body from hand to
hand, and both hands were burned to
the bone and blood-vessel in his head
was ruptured, causing blood to flow from
his nose, mouth and ears. When dis
covered, six hours later, no signs of life
remained even to expert physicians, but,
nevertheless, efforts were made to re-
suscitate him, and after long and vigor-
GUS work he regained consciousness and
finally recovered his health, although he
experienced many painful and peculiar
sensations while coming to. A few re-
suits of this character in capital cases
would destroy the availability of cleo
tricity as public executioner.