Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-23
KEMMLER DIED EASY.
A Pittsburg Doctor Who Has Expert
mented Claims That
ELECTROCUTION IS NOT BRUTAL.
The Muscular Movements Of the Victim Not
to be Compared With
THE CoNToRfIONs OF THE GUILtoTINE


to suffer the death penalty by electricity,
has demonstrated that he died very sudden
ly, very rapidly, and extremely easy and
painless" remarked DIR. Gaertner, OF this
city, to a DISPATCH reporter yesterday.
''Even if the papers called it failure,
bungled up job" continued the doctor,
Kemmler died quick, without |
a stir, even without an expression OF pain or |
agony. Since the electrocution this method
of execution has agitated the minds OF
scientists and.electricians, not only of this
country but also of Europe. Some OF the
European nations have gone SO far as to
condemn it, even calling it criminal to
torturing people to death by electricity.
This the microscope has already revealed to
be gross error.
"Just see how the doctors-George f.
Fell and Spitzka-jumped upon the micro
scope when the world-renowned murderer
was electrocutioned. 1t was the only re-
liable Observation-Disclosures could
secure in order to determine accurately,
first, that he (Kemmler) was dead; secondly.
what killed him. The cause OF death-that
is, the result of the electricide-has been
authoritatively stated. and which the micro
scope revealed, was nervous shock. This
simply means distraction and paralysis of
the nerve-centers of the brain and spinal
cord. Scientifically, or rather microscop-
ically expressed, disintegration OF the
protoplasm of the nerves, nerve-cells and
ganglion of the brain and spinal cord. with
a secondary destruction or dlslntegratlonf
of the elements of the blood, producing
a hemorrhagic transudation into the
ventricles and substance of the brain,
coagulation and death.
KILLED BY THE FIRST SHOCK.
"There is not particle of doubt that
Kemmler was dead after the first shock,
even If the foreign papers called it bungled
up job. I know from experimental re-
searches the action of electricity upon the
living tissue, whether animal or human.
When 1000 volts or more are applied to
living tissues whether animal or Human,
a tremendous lightning-like nervous shock
follows, with first the destruction of the
superficial layers of nerve cells and gan
glion of the brain, followed by the destruc-
tion OF the deeper layers, until the entire
brain is destroyed in a similar manner. L
have had the opportunity of experimenting
| with electricity upon the brains OF cats and
dogs, and these have been my results. all
| through the aid of that wonderful instru-
ment, the microscope.
81 think it will require about ], 200 to
| 1, 500 volts, applied from Is to 25 seconds, to
| kill any ordinary human being, especially
when applied as near as possible to the
nerve centers-i. e., directly to the head,
back of the neck, and also down the spinal
cord. Consequently it is a matter OF posi-
bility for human being to stand 1000
volts-that is, when it has been applied to
his extremlties, such as his feet or hands,
and only for very short time, say about
two or three seconds, and still recover from
tho shock. But if the poles are applied d.
rect to the head and spine. then it is an
impossibility for, any human being 10
recover from the shock, even if applied but
one second; and if only the very superficial
layers of the nerve cells and ganglions are
DESTROYED he would remain deformed in
valid ior life His hands and feet would be
more or less paralyzed, and probably die
very soon after the shock. Therefore in
Kemmler's electrocution he was certainly
dead after the very first shock. The frothing
at the mouth, returning respiration and
bleeding from the throat were by no means
indications that he was still living or a re-
turn of animation; but it was simply spas
modic and convulsiTe contraction of the diff
ferent organs, just the same as guillotined
head would be dead after it is severed from
its body, in fact, more SO.
A PAINLESS DEATH.
"I think human being killed by elec-
tricity suffers less pain than a man gRilo-
tined or hanged. This fact, the microscope
/ has revealed and demonstrated time and
again in certain analyzed cases. In the
year 1884, while 1 was at the Hospital Gen.
erale de Strasburg, Germany, under the
direction of Prof. SchwalDe, ! was re.
auested to witness murderer guillotined
The execution took place at Metz, and after
the operation (decapitation) was directed
by request to hold postmortem examina.
ton upon the subject. took particular
pains in studying the head and especially the
physiognomy OF this subject. Immediately
after the head was severed and dropped into
the basket I took charge OF it. The follow
ing has been my observation and expert
ences, all through the aid of tht
microscopes: His facial expression wal
that of great agony for many minutes
after the decapitation. He would open hi.
eyes, also his mouth, in process OF Gaping
as if he wanted to speak to ME, and 1 an
positive he could see me for number o
seconds after the head was severed from it
body. There isl doubt that the brain wa
still active, which fact the microscope after
wards revealed just think of head sew
cred from It's body and still in activity
What suffering he must have gone through
the death penalty with the guillotine.
A CHASTITY SPECTACLE.
"His decapitated body, which was pre-
yiously fastened by straps upon bench
was in continuous spasmodic and cloni
oonvulsions lasting from to minutes; ais
an indication of great suffering. l have n
doubt that had not his body been pre-
, yiously fastened to bench he would hav
gotten upon his hands and feet and woul'
certainly have scrambled all over the dealt
G amber. That would have been terribl
sight. A chicken, after its head Is severe'
from its body, will jump around and sprinl
} ND into the air 4 to feet. have see
chickens get on their feet and actually rul
away from the place OF decapitation dis
suffering, which would last from 10 to 1
minutes, and still the French nation advo
Gates the use Of the guillotine as deaf
: penalty.
a "Eyen hanging is a barbarous process. ]
the neck is not Immediately broken, the vic
tim generally lives from 10 to 20 minutes
and certainly mas to 60 through great suffel
ing. Consequently this process of electr
Gliding should in every instance be advocate
for inficting the death penalty. Even tn
Humane Society should compel butcher
and the killers at abbatoirs to slaughter bee
calves and swine with electricity, which i
: without doubt, painless death, certainl
9 much the quickest, easiest and simples
a Electrocution is, therefore, to be con
3 mended."
Gymnasium nj Kenyon Military Academy.