New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-05
PAPERS ON SOCIAL SCIENCE
TOPICS BEFORE THE AMERICAN AsSo0iA
TON.
ur.rru DEPARTMENT DAY AT sA'Ni0'A
REASONS FOR OPPOSING EIE0'
rRIcAL EXECUTION.


Saratoga Springs. n. " sepe 80 ,h,s morn.
AMERICAN Social Science Associa.v. coma hr,e,
s.n.r,nsnt Of health. Following so"c orie'
ing ID a.pe's TT uo,brook Curtis OF New-forK'
rehs " A., orh Of the department paper was
20 ~ nv p,inv Earle, of Northampton Mass Un
q poruiar Fallacies Concerning uo
Popular 80 No idea in regard TO the inmates OF
o. ,r ,,t,,jons for the insane Is nioio "iooS pr
-. ,,,n they are unhappy IN reiere"oo a
<.xr ana wholly exceptional cases .,''S 70 -
c~ Nnu Rut further than that 1t Is untrue
eNsen' LUZ .,,n,on that they were as happy as any
IL was "s ~ n.ople No inconsiderabe part of the
ouo no,i,cs, outside show OF misery is simply habit
n'ei. -sach ANYTHING like real feeling Is an utter
-, No person could long survive the reality
80 annarently intense suffering; but their health
=. not impaired by it. There are some who even
,hnve upon it. Dr. Earle gave large number OF
constructions coming under his personal observation
ne well as that Of other professional men, In PROOF
~ his statements. Discussion followed.
Dr. Stephen smith, of NewYork, submitted re-
r,rt IN aThe Commitment and Care Of the Insane, D
which was followed by discussion
A paper by DR.. Louise Flske Bryson, of New
York. was next read. 1t related TO Z" The Dangerous
Glasses and the Modern Doctor"
Electricity as a Death Penalty" was the title OF
an interesting paper by DR.. Frederick Peterson, OF
New-York. Among other things, he said
The most cogent argument, probably that can urge
against electricity death penalty is the completely OF
apparatus required in comparison TO the simple
for hanging beheadng The dynamo must be In goou
ORDER the machinery, the running gear. must be careus
adjusted the wires perfectly insulated and guarded ron
unwary spectators the electrodes in perfect IuxpoSuoh
the skin and poles well moistened the prisoner Sc
curely bound eectromotve force determined 70 &c
adequate the continuity Of the circuit ascertaned 70 o
unbroken the contact made for the requisite penoa
time by a firm trained hand Then, after all has beer
superntended with extraordinary by one or TWO
merit electricians how easily could some part become us
arranged and the prisoner made 20 endure an eternity o
delay upon brink of death or caused TO suner so'
physical torture trne less exquisite Suppose that all
in complete readiness the contact is made The Ncum III
s.antly becomes unconscious and rigid he has ceased
breathe; his ventroles beat no longer But pre"s
should occur after first two or three seconus "ouO
life always be so soon eXtinguished7 ProOaoy h'@
Hence for from twenty seconds the current
be made to now until reawakenng is placed beyond a.
fu,tber possibilities Now is not the ideal method
that arose IN the imagnsons Of the founders and projectors
AZ this law This is the thunderbolt falling uneX
nsc,edlv and suddenly with speed swifter than light
,everpc I'm fraction Of second the vital force that hou
conscious spirit and unconscious clay together.
This evening the Rev. Charles r. Treat, OF New
York read a paper on Burial Customs in their Re
Iation 10 Health which he Illustrated with stere
opticon A paper was also read by DR.. Charles A.
Harvey, OF New-YorR, on The Best sanitary lbs
position OF the Dead" Discussion followed.