42 SPITZKA-OBSERVATIONS REGARDING INFLICTION [April 23, 



shows that from seven to ten amperes have passed through the 

 criminars body. 



A second or even a third brief contact is sometimes made, partly 

 as a precautionary measure, but more to completely abolish reflexes 

 in the dead body. 



The time consumed by the strapping-in process is usually about 

 forty-five seconds and the first contact is made a few seconds later. 

 In all about 60-70 seconds elapse from the moment the convict 

 leaves his cell until he is shocked to death. 



The convicts that I have seen thus dealt with have usually slept 

 soundly the night before, they have entered the room calmly and 

 stolidly, often with a half smile on their lips, some without uttering 

 a word, others repeating a brief prayer, still others with a cheerful 

 good-bye to those present. They usually seated themselves without 

 betraying any signs of fear or trembling, curiously watching the 

 strapping-in process for a while, then sitting erect, looking straight 

 ahead at nothing in particular. 



The physician in charge observes the respiratory movements of 

 the prisoner and signals to the electrician at a moment when the 

 lungs contain the minimum quantity of air. At the moment that 

 the contact is made the criminal's body stiffens in a state of tonic 

 muscular spasm, restrained by the straps. This spasm abates some- 

 what as the voltage is reduced, to again attain its maximum with 

 each raise of voltage. When the current is interrupted the body 

 collapses completely. An examination by the physicians usually 

 fails to elicit any signs of life. Occasionally, there is heard a turbu- 

 lent, incoordinate, accelerated heart-beat, but apparently limited to 

 the auricular chambers of the heart. In only two cases was there 

 any respiratory effort and this was limited to a single contraction of 

 the thoracic respiratory muscles. An additional brief contact or 

 two regularly abolished these reflex phenomena. 



The reason for making the contact at the moment that the convict 

 has expired air from his lungs in the natural course of his breathing 

 is this — and it will explain why certain witnesses of the first electro- 

 cution thought that life still existed in Kemmler's body. It must 

 be recalled that there is created a terrifically powerful spasmodic con- 

 traction of all muscles, including the sphincters and the glottis. 



