The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-03-15


~ Prussic Acid-A Flash of Lightning
Is Best
How shall we execute our criminals!
To a certain degree a distressing question
3. inquire into, but In reality a most humane
Investigation Experts are divided In their
c-.iRions upon the subject, and when experts
d. agree-why, experts disagree. Some hard
eiled experts OF very conservative frame
~ mind nail their colOrs TO the mast and hold
tsiat Jack ketch's hempen moose, also known
as Judge Lynch's ''cravat," Is the proper
thing when III the proper place
Others of a more advanced frame OF mind
suggest the garrote- The guiIlotine also has
IL advocates, especially among the inhabi-
tautS OF sunny France, and there are those
VINO favor prussic acid or some other violent
poison. Gas comes In for a share OF favor;
water has It's disciples; but the enterprising
S.ldents Of this country seem TO be pooling
taeir issues IN favor OF electricity.
Not 20 be behind the times, an American
physician has invented a fash OF lightning,
sid To be almost equal 70 the natural article.
la this instance IL all came about through
tie inquiries made a year ago by Commodore
Gferry's commission, appointed 70 inquire
into a more humane method of executing the
death penalty.
At that time a select number OF prominent
hi EsiciaIs were consulted and asked in the
Interest of science to answer a series of queS-
iJus upon the subject OF capital punishment.
Among the physicians consulted were DIR. L
j Kauffmann a graduate Of Berlin, Paris,
Edinburgh, Toronto and New York, and
gentleman who has devoted much time TO
the study Of electricity while pursuing his
medical studies
Dr. Kaufman was much impressed with
tue barbarity Of executions by hanging, and
before making his report TO the commission
began work upon an electrical machine,
which was to produce a miniature fash Of
lightning or continuous electric spark twelve
inches long, and calculated to produce death
Ia the twO-hundredth part Of a second
This may seem TO be quick work, but it is
comparatively slow when we take into con-
sideratiOn that the genuine article, real
lightning" produces the fatal result in the
tzii-ttousandth part of asecend-at least that
/, about as near as it has been accurately
gauged up to this writing.
One OF the first questions asked by the
commission was in regard TO death by prussic
acid any other strong poison Taking
I,russic acida a basis, DIR. Kaufman replied
tnat there was a case on record In which
man swallowed an ounce of prussic acid and
vat only expired twelve minutes later, after
suffering great agony. DIR. Kaufman thus
concluded LU6L dclQ was 11OG QUICK
enough and could not be relied upon, and in
addition that prussic acid and its salts were
used III commerce, and that it would not be
advisable 70 teach the public mode of death
which would be comparatively painless
The second question referred TO the garrote
and guillOtine, and, according TO the doctors
replies, these systems are comparatively an
cient and barbarous, and nations employing
them were seeking for a more humane and
scientific method of executing criminals.
The garrote, says DR.. Kaufman, is worse
than hanging, as by its use death is only
saused by sirangulation or suffocation. Suffo-
alton, he also claiHG, is the cause of death
N the great majority OF executions by hang
ing, and is the great objection to the use Of
;he rope. In fact, if DR.. Kaufman remem-
oers rightly, statistics show that over 50 per
sent of persons hanged die from suffoca-
ion.
One of the last questions asked the physi-
clans by the commission, said DIR. Kauf-
mann, was:
"'What would you suggest as better way
If death In criminal cases, and what would
yo& suggest to compensate for the difference
II effect upon the criminal casesP or words
20 that effect"
Death from electricity, replied the doctor
IN substance, either by shock or by a CONVEX
ZION of the animal fluids into gases, causes
very little change in the body. Indeed, the
greater the shock the less change there is in
The body Therefore death from an intense
Ihock, which would kill a man in say the
sne-hundredth part of second, would make
40 visible change in the body. Now, as there
S an insufficiency in this country Of bodies
for the purposes of scientific research, Dr.
Rauffmann suggested that the bodies of all
executed criminals should be turned over TO
The proper authorities for the purpose of sci
sntifc, pathological and physiological
search.
In Dr. Kauffmann's opinion criminals
would dread such disposal of their bodies
more than death itself. Naturally it is adj
nitted that there are 50 few executions that
;he bodies thus furnished would not supply
the demand, but it is claimed that bodies of
criminals killed by electricity will be in such
good condition for scientific research that
;hey will prove of incalculable value to
physicians.
The miniature flash of lightning outlined
oy DR.. Kaufman could be applied to the
criminals either standing or sitting down.
and the base of the skull is suggested as the
most suitable spot, though other physicians
favor the back of the neck. It has also been
suggested that the criminal might be placed
in a room and that the air should be gradu-
ally withdrawn, thus giving the condemned
man a painless death TINS system is objected
10 as being quite painful as hanging, for
death would be caused bv sutfocation.
The fumes of charcoal have also been advo
Gated, but are opposed on the plea that they
range with chlorine gas, one of the most
pungent gases, and accordingly charcoal
would cause a painful death. Carbonic gas
uas also been talked of as a comparatively
desirable form of inf1icting death, but it is
opposed on the plea that it is not quick
enough.
After reviewing all the suggestions made
there would seem to be no doubt that cleo
ticitg will be the executioner's weapon in
the future, and that, combined with deliver
in the odies of executed persons to physi-
clans for the purpose of scientific research. it