> -----Original Message----- > From: William T Goodall [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, October 08, 2003 5:41 AM > To: Brin-L > Subject: Not suitable for pets > > > http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/10/08/ > wexec08.xml > > "A judge's ruling that the "humane" drug cocktail used to execute > prisoners may trigger excruciating pain is a boost for opponents, > writes David Rennie in Washington > > A passionate debate has been sparked in the United States by > findings > that the "humane" drug cocktail used to execute most > prisoners may in > some cases trigger excruciating pain while paralysing inmates > so they > cannot cry out.
I have gone through the methodology protocol used in excutions, and I see nothing wrong with it. While the potassium used to stop the heart would be extremely painful, it is not the first drug administered. The first is sodium pentathol (truth serum), which is the identical drug used in _every_ general anesthesic procedure performed for surgery. For those of you who have undergone general asesthesia can attest that this drug does put you out (99..98..97...zzzzzzzzzz....). The drug is short acting (about 5-10 minutes), but effective enough to fully anesthesitize the patient/executee. The second drug is a paralysizing agent, a curare based drug ( the pancuronium bromide) used to stop breathing. Onset is within a minute or two. This is not especially painful, and is even given to conscious patients who are on ventilators. The third is the potassium, which will stop the heart. This all occurs before the pentathol wears off. This is painful! Because the execution method is similar to what is used in general anesthesia (sans the potassium), it is a tried and true method with a significantly small failure rate (usually associated with a mistake of the Anesthestist). Rest assured, I have not heard of any passionalte debate about lethal injection methods. It sounds more like sensationalization of the possibility (however remote) of a painful execution. Nerd From Hell > > Since its introduction in 1982, death by lethal injection has > largely > swept aside execution methods such as the electric chair and the > gallows, spreading to all but one of the 38 states that practise > capital punishment. > > Witnesses at scores of executions have said death by lethal > injection > is a remarkably calm, almost peaceful affair. But death penalty > opponents have launched a campaign to prove that the > impression of calm > may be false, caused by the use of a powerful muscle relaxant that > paralyses those being executed. > > The drug, pancuronium bromide, is banned in some states for use in > putting down pets and strongly discouraged by the American > Veterinary > Medical Association with a warning that if used without perfect > anaesthesia an animal "may perceive pain and distress after it is > immobilised"." Note "perfect anaesthesia". Some vet's may chose to skip the pentathol for cost reasons. For those of you how may have to have a pet put down, it is important to make sure your vet uses it. > > -- > William T Goodall > Mail : [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Web : http://www.wtgab.demon.co.uk > Blog : http://radio.weblogs.com/0111221/ > > "There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, > probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on -- > shame on you. Fool me > -- you can't get fooled again." > -George W. Bush, Nashville, > Tenn., Sept. > 17, 2002 > > _______________________________________________ > http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l > _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
