As I have observed in a preceding article, much doubt exists whether
decapitation puts an end to our sufferings, as it has not and most
probably will never be ascertained, whether the body or the head are first
deprived of sensation or vitality. Galvanic experiments had been resorted
to, but were warmly opposed by Professor Ferry on the plea of humanity, as
he maintained that unless we were certain that sensation had ceased, we
had no right to submit the unfortunate culprits who had been decapitated
to this trial. Guillotin (whose name was given to the terrific machine so
closely connected in our recollection with the horrors of the French
Revolution, which he introduced from the East and Germany) maintained that
the moment the head was severed from the body all sensation ceased.
Cabanis and Petit were of a similar opinion. Sue, Aldini, Mojon, Weicard,
Liveling, Castel, and other physiologists, founded their belief in a
contrary doctrine, upon numerous experiments on various animals. Sue
grounded his arguments upon two chief points: first, the sudden effect
produced by decapitation upon the two most powerful regulators of the
functions of life, the brain and the heart; and secondly, on the
consideration that the section of the neck was often uneven and jagged,
splinters of bones irritating the bruised nerves, vessels, and spinal
marrow.
According to this view of the matter, existence was not immediately
destroyed by decollation. Castel thought that this principle was
extinguished in the head sooner than the body. Sue and Julia de Fontenelle
were of a different opinion. Dubois of Amiens endeavoured to prove the
non-existence of pain after decapitation, by showing that convulsive
movements, epileptic and hysteric attacks, were not accompanied by any
painful sensations. In decapitation, he thinks that the suddenness and
violence of the blow must produce insensibility, for we cannot imagine
that the section of the spinal marrow thus violently performed can
occasion pain; and if any sensations were experienced in that awful
moment, it is more than probable that the violent perturbation would
render them obtuse. As to any feelings of the separated head, he does not
think that any muscular convulsions observed in it can indicate the
existence of pain.
To these arguments of the Amiens physiologist, Julia de Fontenelle replied
that it was never maintained that convulsive movements were expressive of
pain, although it was not impossible that epileptic and hysterical
patients may have experienced painful sensations during their attacks that
might be forgotten upon their recovery, as somnambulists bear no
recollection of what passed during their disturbed slumbers. The
convulsive affections alluded to by Dubois were frequently expressive both
of pleasure and of pain, or marked with a character of stupor or of
indifference, whereas the convulsive movement observed in the features of
the decapitated invariably expressed anguish; in support of his firm
belief in the existence of the power of sensation after execution, he
refers to the observations of Soemmering, Mojou, and Sue, who had
remarked that when the head was turned towards the solar rays, the eyes
instantly closed,--a phenomenon that could not take place if the eyes were
dead. Dr. Montault jocosely observes that it is to be regretted that, to
decide this controversy, recourse cannot be had to the experiments,
recorded by Bacon, of an inquisitive person who hanged himself for the
purpose of ascertaining if strangulation was a painful operation. One of
his friends very fortunately cut him down ere it was too late, when the
curious experimentalist was quite satisfied that hanging was by no means
painful or unpleasant, and that the moment strangulation took place, he
had been struck with a flickering light, that was instantly followed by
utter darkness.
Various cases are recorded of individuals thus cut down, when hanged by
accident, or executed. In most instances they stated that they had
experienced a pleasurable sensation as strangulation took place. I have
already alluded to the curious fate of the well-known composer of the
"Battle of the Prague."