The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-11-21
Electricity Kills.

There Is no good reason TO belleVe
that under ordinary conditions sud
den shock of electricity such as is ap-
piled in New York penitentiaries in the
case of criminals condemned to the
electrical chair does not produce death.
The stir which has been occasioned IN
the newspapers by the Syracuse ply
sician who has questioned the decisive
ness Of electricity thus administered,
comes altogether from those who are
charmed by the novelty Of DR.. Gibbons
contention. 1t does not represent a Sc
rious and general scientific doubt.
The first electrocution practiced in
New York state was that of Kemmler,
at Auburn. The electrical apparatus
upon that occasion was new and the
work done was bungled. Nevertheless,
DR.. Clayton NJ. Daniels, Of Buffalo, who
conducted the autopsy, testifies that
the blood of the victim was absolutely
disintegrated by the electric shock. The
oXygenized blood in the left side of
Kemmler's heart, where perfect COM
bustion was possible, after months of
preservation in Theoretically sealed
glass jars, was watery and thin, and
under the microscope gave no evidence
of corpuscles; whereas the imperfectly
oxygenized blood on the right side Of
the murderer's heart was only par
TALLY destroyed, showing that the ar
terial or vital flow of blood, was not
only suspended by the shock but un-
qualifiedly stopped for all time. DIR.
Gibbs, of New York, who conducted the
autopsy in the case Of Murderer John
son, makes substantially the same as
sertions with reference to that case.
To make sure that the blood had been
disentegrated, DR.. Gibbs made an in
cision in the corpse and not drop of
blood came. DR.. Carlos Il. Mcdonald,
who has written careful report of the
first seven executions by electricity in
New York state, speaks favorably of
DR.. Gibbons enterprise in calling this
resuscitation question up, but adds: 81
don't say that it is impossible to resus-
citate a person shocked to death by
electricity, as | would thus make out
that / am infallible. / saw the first
seven cases and made a careful exam
ination of each body, assisted by sew
eIal very able scientists, and 1 assure
you that the method of dispatching
criminals by. electricity is the surest
and least painful of any yet adopted. !
am satisfied that the current renders
the subject unconscious in an infinitesi-
NAL fraction of second and destroys
both conscious and organic life in a
shorter space Of time than by any other
doubt of it. d
In order, then, to establish his posi-
ton DR.. Gibbons will have to overcome
the disntegration of the arterial blood,
the absolute collapse of the heart and
lungs, and the paralysis of the hearts
action and of the nerve centers. To do
this will be to perform as great a
miracle as any which is recorded in sa-
SiS0 Vi piOloiiC ANY
tion as to the consequences of his expe-
riment prior to its occurrence would be
purely conjectural. 1t is, of course,
possible that the shock to be applied
to Murderer Charles F. Wilson may be
deficient, in which event resuscitation
is not out Of the possibilities. But such
talk as that which DR.. Gibbons in
dulges in when he volunteers to receive
into his system 2,20O volts of electricity
In the manner that shocks are now I'M
parted to convicted murderers, pro.
vided his patent appliance of resuscita.
ton be Immediately used upon him, Is
nothing less than sheer bravado, to be
accounted for on the advertising basis
only.
Electricity kills. There isn't room fol
doubt Of it.