About the invention of the electric chair (7 photos) Bashny.Net

At the end of the XIX century, Thomas Edison invented the incandescent lamp, which is a truly great invention, allowing the use of electricity for lighting cities.

A dentist from Buffalo, New York, named Albert Southwick thought that electricity could be used in his medical practice as an analgesic. Once Southwick saw one of the residents of Buffalo touch bare wires electric power to the city and died as thought Southwick, almost instantly and painlessly. This incident prompted him to believe that the execution of using electricity can replace hanging as a more humane and quick punishment. Southwick first talked with the head of the "Society for the protection of animals from cruelty," Colonel Rockwell, offering the use of electricity for getting rid of unwanted animals instead of drowning (a method that has traditionally been used). Rockwell liked the idea.

In 1882, Southwick began experiments on animals, publishing their results in scientific papers. Southwick then showed the results of his influential friend, Senator David McMillan. Southwick said that the main advantage of the execution of electrical is that it is painless and fleeting. McMillan was a supporter of the conservation of the death penalty; it attracted the idea, as an argument against the abolition of the death penalty, because this kind of penalty can not be called cruel and inhumane, therefore, advocates the abolition of the death penalty will lose their most telling arguments. Macmillan gave a speech to the Governor of New York David Bennett Hill. In 1886 it adopted the "Law on the establishment of a commission for research and advice on the most humane and acceptable methods of enforcing the death penalty." The commission includes Southwick, Judge Matthew Hale and policies Elyuridzh Jerry. Conclusion The Commission set out in the ninety-five pages of the report, were as follows: the best method of enforcement of the death penalty is a punishment with electricity. The report recommended the state to replace hanging with a new form of punishment.




Governor Hill signed a law June 5, 1888, which was supposed to enter into force on 1 January 1889, and initiate a new, more humane punishment in the state of New York.

It remained to solve the issue concerning the apparatus for the enforcement of the sentence and the question of what type of electric current must be used: DC or AC.

It should consider the history associated with AC and DC currents. How do they differ, and what is more suitable for the current penalty?

Long before the invention of Thomas Edison, scientists from different countries working on this subject, but no one was able to use electricity in everyday life. Edison carried out in practice before it developed a theory. Edison's first power station was built in 1879; almost immediately the representatives of different cities of the United States went to the scientist. Edison's system, operating on direct current, has had its difficulties. Constant current flows in one direction. DC supply can not be a great distance, we had to build a power plant to provide electricity even a medium-sized city.

The solution was found by the Croatian scientist Nikola Tesla. He developed the idea of ​​using alternating current. Alternating current can change direction several times a second, creating a magnetic field, without losing voltage. The alternating voltage can be increased and decreased using transformers. High voltage can be transmitted over long distances with little loss, and then through the step-down transformer, to bring electricity to consumers. Some cities have used AC system (but not on the development of Tesla), and this system has attracted investors. One such investor was George Westinghouse, known for his invention of the aerodynamic brake. Westinghouse intend to make use of the AC profitable, but the technology DC Edison was more popular at the time. Tesla worked for Edison, but he paid no attention to its development, and Tesla resigned. Soon after he patented his idea and was able prodemontrirovat them in action. In 1888, Westinghouse bought Tesla's patents from forty, and in some years more than a hundred cities have used AC system. Edison Company began to take their positions.





It became obvious that the AC system will replace the DC system. However, Edison did not believe it. In 1887, he began to discredit the Westinghouse system by requiring their employees collecting information on deaths caused by alternating current, hoping to prove that his system of safety for the population.

Clash of the Titans, as it is sometimes referred to as the story began when there was a question about the type of current that was to be used in the device for the death penalty. Edison did not want his invention was associated with death, he wanted the machine to the death penalty has been applied alternating current.

In 1887, Edison was published pamphlet "Warning", in which he compared the DC variable and indicates the safety first.

June 5, 1888 in New York Evening Post published a letter from Harold Brown, who warned of the dangers of alternating current. This letter caused alarmed in the society. In 1870, Brown was an employee of Edison, and we can assume that this letter was registered. In 1888, Brown conducted a series of experiments on animals, demonstrating the destructive capacity of the AC. In the experiment, two used the alternator as Westinghouse refused to sell their generators. Experiments were carried out over several dozen dogs, cats, two horses over.

Speech respected scientist Thomas Edison before the committee to address the method of execution made a vivid impression. The legendary inventor assured all present that the death of electrical painless and quick, of course, in the case of using AC. The commission had the option to enter in the use of lethal injection executions. Lethal injection is considered more humane than the electric chair. In XX century, it began to use it almost all the states in which the death penalty. Perhaps many would not have suffered in the electric chair, if there was no competition between the campaigns or persuasive speech Edison before the commission, but the main issue was that the implementation of executions by lethal injection should take place with the help of doctors or by the doctors, it is not impossible for obvious reasons.



The first execution took place on 1 January 1889. A few decades after the event, this "unit" named chair Westinghouse or "vestingovannym» (Westinghoused).

The following executions took place in the spring of 1891. Four were executed for various crimes. The method of execution was corrected. The generator has become more powerful, the wire - thicker. The second electrode is not connected to the spine and the arm. These executions took place more smoothly, and a new method has been accepted by public opinion.



The first "test pilot" innovation was a killer by the name of Kemmsler. For understandable reasons, he could not describe my feelings, but witnesses the execution noted that in 15 - 20 seconds after the first discharge the offender was still alive. I had to turn on the current and higher voltage for a longer time. Another long and painful "experiment" adjusted "to the end". This execution has caused many protests from the American and world public opinion.

A murder with the help of the technology of the electric chair is the following: the offender is seated on a chair, tying him with leather straps and securing the wrist, ankle, hip and chest. Two copper electrodes are attached to the body, one on foot, the skin underneath is usually shaved for better holding power, and the second is imposed on top of the head shaved. Typically electrodes smeared with special gel to improve hold and reduce the current burning of the skin. On the face of an opaque mask is worn.

The executioner pushes a button on the control panel circuit breaker, giving the first digit of the voltage 1700 - 2400 volts and a duration of 30 - 60 seconds. The time is set the timer in advance, and the current is switched off automatically. After 2 bits doctor examines the body of a criminal who may not have been killed by the previous discharge. Death occurs as a result of cardiac arrest and respiratory paralysis.



However, modern executioners came to the conclusion that the passage of current through the brain causes instant cardiac arrest (clinical death), but only prolongs suffering. Now criminals make cuts and introduce electrodes into the left shoulder and right hip, to rank just passed through the aorta and heart.

Although all the methods of punishment in one way or another severe, but it is the electric chair characterized by frequent and tragic problem causing additional suffering convict, especially in cases where the equipment is old and in need of repair.

All this has led to the fact that under the influence of well-known American human rights activist Leo Jones electric chair was recognized as "cruel, inapplicable" punishment, contrary to the US Constitution.