The Guillotine

What is the guillotine? "Constructed of wood, the guillotine is a sinister tree that has grown on the land, watered by sweat a blood, and tears of every tyranny." Victor Hugo The guillotine is a bladed device designed for carrying out executions by beheading. The structure of the device involves a tall, heavy frame from which a traditionally angled blade is suspended, with a movable collar at the bottom for the neck of the prisoner. In addition, most guillotines have a basket to receive the head so that it doesn't bounce or roll after being severed. During use, the condemned's neck is placed in the collar, which is closed so that the condemned is locked in place. The executioner releases a rope or lever that causes the blade to drop, severing the head of the condemned and causing a death that is very close to instantaneous. Who invented the Guillotine? Antoine Louis (February 13, 1723 May 20, 1792) was a French surgeon and physiologist who was born in Metz. He was originally trained in medicine by his father, a surgeon-major at a local military hospital. As a young man he moved to Paris, where he served as gagnant-matrise at the Salptrire. In 1750 he was appointed professor of physiology, a position he maintained for forty years. Louis published numerous articles on surgery, including several biographies of surgeons who died during his lifetime.Louis is credited with designing a prototype of the guillotine. This device however, is named after French physician Joseph Ignace Guillotin (17381814), who was an advocate of a more humane method of capital punishment. Humanitarian arguments for the usage of the Guillotine. It was a quick and easy way to decapitate someone as it severed the head so quickly they could feel no pain, making it more humane. In northern England it was colloquially known as the Halifax Maiden - 'for young men had been to loose their heads over her'. Guillotine was certainly more humane than stoning to death' and the 'firing squad' where it

is not known who delivered the fatal blow. While with the guillotine is certain that the person would receive a fatal blow, and would suffer the least.

Other methods of Capital Punishment at the time Execution by firing squad, sometimes called fusillading, is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Execution by shooting is a fairly old practice. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are usually readily available and a gunshot to a vital organ usually kills the subject relatively quickly. Hanging: The prisoner has a rope tied around their neck. They are then dropped from a height. They die because their neck is broken or through choking (asphyxiation), if the drop is too small or knot was badly made. If the drop is too long or the prisoner too heavy, the result may be their head being torn off. Japan, India and former British colonies use hanging. Stoning: Stones are thrown at the prisoner until they die. Stoning is still used in some Middle Eastern countries. Strangulation:by hand or by garrote. The strangulation device consisted on a wooden stake where the condemned was tied with a loop of rope placed around his neck. A wooden stick was placed in the loop, and by rotating the stick, the rope was tightened until the condemned person was strangled to death.