Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-07
ANEW MODE OF EXECUTION.
The Use of CarbOnic Oxide "a Humane
Substitute for Hanging.
81.


DIR. Samuel W. Abbott. secretary Of the
Massachusetts, State Board of Health, con-
tributes 10 the Boston Medical and surgical
journal an interesting paper relative tosub-
sfifutinc for hanging some better and more
humane method Of inficting the death
penalty. In the present state OF scientific
knowledge of the nature and effects upon
the human system. DR.. Abbott is not pre-
pared To accept il as the best substitute at
hand. saying OF the experiments which
have been made: 1t would appear from
the results that there are serious hinder
auces TO the adoption of this subtle agent
without considering the main question as
TO whether some other method should take
the place of hanging Dr. Abbott says that
if a change Is desirable I'm carbonlc
oxide we possess such an agent, which
has the property OF destroying, rapid
" and painlessly when properly adj
ministered.n He refers TO the writings
of DIR. h. W. Richardson. of Lon
don, who several years ago brought
the method to public notice for the de-
stfuction Of small domestic animals, such
as dogs and cats. and especially 10 DIR.
Richardson's statement that 1000 such am
mails had been destroyed III London IN
few months previous to the Doctors
article on THE Painless Extinction of
Life" DR.. Abbott says carbonic oxide
may be made from charcoal at small
cost, or il may be obtained more cheaply
still from the street mains or any
coal and watcr-gas company. Water-gas
he considers preferable TO coal-gas,
since 1t contains from four to five times
"a much carbonic oxide, and would, there
fore, be more rapid and fatal In its action.
He saws: AN atmosphere of Is to 30 per
cent. of carbonic oxide, as in the case Of
water-gas, or, still better. one Of 50 per
cent. or more, as may be made from char
coal, would undoubtedly destroy human
life in less than two minutes without pam"
He has himself used "a mixture of about
per cent. with air. with perfect success in
destroying small animals in from one to
one aud half minutes without the appear
ance of pam.
DIR. Abbott goes on 20 show that the APP
paratus for an execution may be of the
simplest and most inexpensive kind, and
suggests tight wooden box three feet
square and seven feet high. tightly-fit-
ting door, an aperture for admitting gas
pipe of liberal size for applying rapid
supply of gas under ordinary pressure from
the strect-mains. and a smaller aperture
TO allow the expulsion of the air. If
n higher percentage Of carbonic oxide
is desired small charcoal fur
mace would be required for generating 1t
and storing il temporarily. as IN the case
of DIR. Richardson's lethal chamber. or
this method DIR. Richardson says: Com
pared with other methods OF extlnguishlng
animal life, such as hanging. drowning,
poisoning by prussic acid, shooting, stun
ming. the lethal method stands far ahead
on every ground Of practical readiness,
certainly humanity In summing up,
DIR. Abbott claims for carbonic oxide
the advantages of painless death, rapid
action aud economy. In respect To
the second point he says; . Its ac-
ton should not be COMPOUNDED with
the slow action OF small percentages
OF gas. such AS is illustrated by the acct
dental deaths often occurring IN hotels.
These almost invariably happen by expo
sure 10 the gas escaping from a mere pipe
hole or slit in the gas-burner. which conse-
quently forms but per cent OF the air OF
tho apartment. and destroys life slowly"
IN regard 10 economy he saws that the cost
of the wooden box would be but tritle,
and the expense of 10 or 100 feet OF gas.
scarcely worth mentioning when compared
With the expensive apparatus required Tor
an electrical execution.