• halyk.the.red@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    23
    ·
    edit-2
    1 month ago

    From what I’ve read, it’s due to the fact that they’re strapping a mask to their faces. The exhaled gasses have nowhere to go, it mixes with the inert gas, and doesn’t cause a loss of consciousness as quickly as intended.

    They would need to place the condemned in a chamber that fills with the inert, heavier than air, gas quickly, with a relief valve at the highest point to release breathable oxygen. If they flood the chamber quickly enough, the victim will barely be conscious long enough to wonder why the air is a little colder before they black out.

    I think they should use a helmet, and give the condemned a choice between motorcycle, astronaut, or old timey diving helm. Make the execution a little more fun, ya know?

    • edge [he/him]@hexbear.net
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      12
      ·
      edit-2
      1 month ago

      From what I’ve read, it’s due to the fact that they’re strapping a mask to their faces. The exhaled gasses have nowhere to go, it mixes with the inert gas, and doesn’t cause a loss of consciousness as quickly as intended.

      Even if they managed the exhaled CO2 correctly (wtf they didn’t?!), that requires the CO2 to actually be exhaled. But someone who doesn’t want to die that’s being killed by asphyxiation is naturally going to hold their breath, which means the CO2 stays in them, ruining the whole point.

      Inert gas seems like a great choice for a self elected procedure, but could probably never go well for execution, because the theory of why it works (asphyxiation without the CO2 buildup that causes pain) requires cooperation.

      • RION [she/her]@hexbear.net
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        9
        ·
        1 month ago

        I mean “ideally” they’d be totally put under so they can’t hold their breath. But the cruelty is the point and so forth

        • Chronicon [comrade/them]@hexbear.net
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          6
          ·
          edit-2
          1 month ago

          then you might as well kill them with the drugs used to put them under. but they can’t get very many medical professionals or medicine companies to go along with that

          I guess intubation would work but again intubation by non professionals would probably be extremely painful and cruel

      • halyk.the.red@lemmy.ml
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        7
        ·
        1 month ago

        If they had done it in a chamber as opposed to a mask, holding their breath would give more time for the oxygen to be displaced, so that first desperate gasp as their lungs could bear no longer, would be pure nitrogen and they’d be unconscious fairly quickly.

        But, like another responder said, cruelty is the point.

    • Oh yeah that would be an issue. When I first heard about it I was picturing a similar setup to the nitrogen chambers used for like hypoxia practice for pilots? It’s a whole room that fills with nitrogen, you don’t even know that anything is wrong, you just start getting confused and then pass out if it goes on long enough