The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-03-23
DEATH BY ELECTRICITY.
instantaneous When Inflicted as a
Penalty For Crime.

instantaneous When Inflicted as
Penalty For Crime.
Every now and then somebody
starts a foolish story to the effect that
the means employed in New York
State for executing the death SEN
tence is not rapid and sure. A lead
ing paper in this city, which mas
new editor, was betrayed into accept
ing one of these yarns not long ago
1t thereupon evinced doubt whether
death really occurred while the pri-
soner was in the electric chair or al
terward Notice Of this unfortunate
expression was promptly taken by DR..
Augustin H. Goelet, who, in company
with a leading electrician, Professor
e. A. Kenealy, was invited by Gov
ernor Flower many years ago to look
into the matter and report to him.
He now writes to the medical paper
to give the result of that inquiry. Tne
opinion adopted was that death was
caused (when the alternating current
was employed, by producing ruptures
of the blood vessels of the brain:
There was at the autopsies marked
evidence of such rupture and the mic
roscopic investigation Of the brain OF
the two subjects examined, viz, the
negro Hampton and DR.. Buchanan,
showed abundant evidence OF rupture
of the vessels throughout the brain IN
verification of those observations on
the autopsy table. These observations
were repeated by other investigations
subsequently at other executions Dy
electricity.
The explanation of cerebral hemor-
rhage caused by electricity, adds Dr'
Goelet, is to be found in the fact that
the alternating current employed lot
executing criminals causes violent
contraction of all the muscular struc-
ture throughout the body, botn the
voluntary and the involuntary mus
cles, and hence the blood Is driven
forcibly into the brain and rupture OF
the oyerdistended vessels occurs In
consequence. The absolute Dloodiess
condition of all parts of the Dody ana
the absence of blood in all OF the yes
sells throughout the whole body below
the head was noticeable at the au-
topsy. and when the Uranium was OPP
ened it was found to be filled with
blood. Up TO the time of this inyes-
tigation and the report of the COM
mittee the cause of death by cleo
tricity was involved in obscurity anu
there was much speculation thereon,
but that report settled the question 30
far as electrocution Is concerned.
It is very well and proper to at
tempt resuscitation of those accident
ally shocked by electricity, for IN
manv instances they may be revived
if the effort is made promptly and
iudiciously, but in these cases OF acct
dental shock the condition is very diff
ferent. The total energy OF the cur
rent actually directed against the
body is indefinite and uncertain ana
may be insufficient to cause deatn'
but in executions the strength OF the
current employed is definitely known,
and 1t is applied in manner TO orlng
the whole body under It's influence.
Death is therefore both positive ana
instantaneous, beyond question OF
possible doubt The maximum cleo
trical energy employed for the pur-
pose is 1,740 volts and amperes'
equivalent to 1920 watts, and since
746 watts equal one horsepower. the
energy used is equivalent to about IL
% electrical horsepower.