Humane Execution ?

[kuranes]

The "lethal injection" was offered up as a more humane way to execute condemned criminals. Up until recently it has mostly consisted of:

STEP ONE - Sodium Thiopental - To put someone to sleep and "generally" anaesthetize them.

STEP TWO - Pancuronium Bromide - Paralyzes everything, including beathing muscles. ( I wonder how this differs in effect from Anectine ? Perhaps longer lasting. )

STEP THREE - Potassium Chloride - Stops heart. ( Found in "salt free" substitute in smaller amounts BTW ! Also supposedly used at times by the CIA to kill unwanted people in such a way that it looks as though they died of common heart failure. )

Prisoners such as Joseph Clark have been known to gasp "Don't work ! Don't work!" indicating Step One was only partially effective. It is thought that some prisoners may have been fully conscious as the paralysis set in. "I hate it when that happens. " Diprivan is suggested as a more modern substitute for the Thiopental. "He looks so peaceful."

I wonder how often the authorities purposely went light on Step One so that the murderer received more "punishment" on the way out ?

[cafe]

What is it they give pets to euthanize them? I remember thinking my dog's death was so fast and looked painless.

[kuranes]

I'm not sure what they give to pets.

[cafe]

I'm googling and googling and I'm not finding what they use. The closest thing I found was about the euthanizing of small lab animals: sodium pentobarbital. Hmmm.

[kuranes]

I'm googling and googling and I'm not finding what they use. The closest thing I found was about the euthanizing of small lab animals: sodium pentobarbital. Hmmm.

If they used this ( commonly referred to as Pentothal IIRC) then you can rest easy that your pet probably went out peacefully. )

[cafe]

Could we use that to execute people, too?

Edit: That's not to say I'm in favor of executing people. I honestly have mixed feelings about it, but if it is done and our intent is to be humane about it, could we use Sodium pentobarbital on the humans we execute?

[Totenkindly]

Whatever happened to that oldie but goodie?

The device derives its name from Dr. Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, a French physician and member of the Revolutionary National Assembly, on whose suggestion it was introduced. Dr. Guillotin proposed the use of a mechanical device to carry out the death penalty. The basis for his recommendation is believed to have been his perception that it was a humane form of execution, contrasting with the methods used in pre-revolutionary, ancien regime (old regime) France. In France, before the guillotine, members of the nobility were beheaded with a sword or axe, while commoners were usually hanged, a form of death that could take minutes or longer -- other more gruesome methods of executions were also used, such as the wheel, burning at the stake, etc. In the case of decapitation, it also sometimes took repeated blows to sever the head completely. The condemned or the family of the condemned would sometimes pay the executioner to ensure that the blade was sharp in order to provide for a quick and relatively painless death.

The guillotine was thus perceived to deliver an immediate death without risk of misses. Furthermore, having only one method of execution was seen as an expression of equality among citizens. The guillotine was adopted as the official means of execution on 20 March 1792.

[hereandnow]

Whatever happened to that oldie but goodie?

It's quick and the nerves to the body are severed instantly.

An RPG round to the face is also a possibility. However this would require a large field.

[Totenkindly]

An RPG round to the face is also a possibility. However this would require a large field.

As well as a mop and a bucket.

[hereandnow]

As well as a mop and a bucket.

A large bucket.