1084:
140:
43:
214:
The spread of arc light–based street lighting systems (which at the time ran at a voltage above 3,000 volts) after 1880 led to many people dying from coming in contact with these high-voltage lines, a strange new phenomenon which seemed to kill instantaneously without leaving a mark on the victim.
246:
The next nine years saw a promotion by
Southwick, the New York state Gerry commission (which included Southwick) recommending execution by electricity, a June 4, 1888 law making it the state form of execution on January 2, 1889, and a further state committee of doctors and lawyers to finalize the
168:
and originally referred to only electrical execution and not other electrical deaths. However, since no
English word was available for non-judicial deaths due to electric shock, the word "electrocution" eventually took over as a description of all circumstances of electrical death from the new
386:. Fish & Geddes state: "Contact with 20 mA of low-frequency electrical current through the chest can be fatal". The threshold electrical current RMS magnitude required to trigger cardiac arrest is well studied. The mechanism of cardiac arrest is typically
397:
Three elements are required for an electrocution to occur: (a) a charged electrical source, (b) a current pathway through the victim, (c) a ground. The health hazard of an electric current flowing through the body depends on the amount of
433:
but is nearly always fatal without intervention. Currents as low as 30 mA AC or 300–500 mA DC applied to the body surface can cause fibrillation. Large currents (> 1 A) cause permanent damage via
304:, to be executed in their new form of capital punishment. Tabloid newspapers, trying to describe this new form of electrical execution, started settling on "electrocution," a
1227:
410:
of skin when dry, requiring a high voltage to pass through. The severity of a shock also depends on whether the path of the current includes a vital organ.
274:
became a consultant to the committee. Brown pushed, with the assistance and sometimes collusion of Edison
Electric and Westinghouse's chief AC rival, the
278:, for the successful adoption of alternating current to power the chair, an attempt to portray AC as a public menace and the "executioners' current".
492:
413:
Death can occur from any shock that carries enough sustained current through a vital organ or tissue. When an electric current flows through the
394:
prevents effective pumping of blood through the vascular system resulting in death, if not quickly reverted to a more effective cardiac rhythm.
161:
from electric current passing through the body. The word is derived from "electro" and "execution", but it is also used for accidental death.
1065:
1046:
1009:
975:
941:
914:
752:
689:
620:
554:
407:
243:
sought to develop this phenomenon into a way to execute condemned criminals. Southwick, a dentist, based his device on the dental chair.
1557:
999:
287:
965:
587:
322:
126:
1562:
1118:
275:
203:
for theatrical stage lighting and lighthouses leading to the first recorded accidental death in 1879 when a stage carpenter in
1613:
64:
60:
107:
79:
907:
Spitz and Fisher's medicolegal investigation of death: guidelines for the application of pathology to crime investigation
745:
Spitz and Fisher's medicolegal investigation of death: guidelines for the application of pathology to crime investigation
1254:
1222:
425:'s control of respiration, or through direct paralysis of the chest muscles. Low currents (70–700 mA) usually trigger
406:. However, a high voltage is required to produce a high current through the body. This is due to the relatively high
86:
53:
1659:
1577:
1295:
1644:
1191:
1183:
391:
387:
184:
93:
570:
Lee, R.C.; Rudall, D. (1992). "Injury mechanisms and therapeutic advances in the study of electrical shock".
1422:
1417:
500:
453:
1618:
1427:
1264:
1259:
572:
Proceedings of the Annual
International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
422:
75:
1606:
1392:
1352:
1196:
1166:
333:
533:
1649:
1567:
1206:
1111:
336:, who headed the New York death penalty commission that suggested adopting the electric chair), and "
188:
1402:
1372:
325:
267:
263:
240:
1058:
Executioner's
Current: Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and the Invention of the Electric Chair
364:
hated the word electrocution, describing it as being pushed forward by "pretentious ignoramuses".
1537:
1516:
1475:
1342:
593:
313:
220:
31:
1654:
1387:
1382:
1337:
1061:
1042:
1005:
971:
937:
910:
887:
870:
Lee RC, Zhang D, Hannig J (2000). "Biophysical injury mechanisms in electrical shock trauma".
843:
794:
748:
695:
685:
626:
616:
583:
550:
236:
196:
158:
1532:
1496:
1088:
879:
833:
825:
784:
575:
542:
399:
297:
228:
100:
1104:
341:
301:
290:
271:
251:
838:
813:
476:
1589:
1584:
1407:
1274:
789:
772:
457:
430:
373:
259:
216:
178:
165:
164:
The term "electrocution" was coined in 1889 in the US just before the first use of the
144:
1083:
139:
1638:
1623:
1506:
1470:
1327:
1269:
1161:
379:
345:
255:
597:
1601:
1501:
1460:
1450:
1445:
1367:
1151:
1146:
883:
426:
931:
520:
199:. By the mid-19th century high-voltage electrical systems came into use to power
1572:
1511:
1357:
1279:
418:
305:
42:
829:
579:
1480:
1362:
1201:
1141:
546:
286:
224:
192:
699:
630:
300:
sentenced its first criminal, a street merchant and convicted murderer named
1332:
383:
17:
891:
847:
798:
421:, death due to asphyxiation may occur as a result of interference with the
909:(5th ed.). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Ltd.
773:"Conduction of electrical current to and through the human body: A review"
747:(5th ed.). Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Ltd.
613:
The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison
Invented the Modern World
456:, prisoners commonly committed suicide by throwing themselves at the wire
1596:
378:
Electrocutions are relatively rare, causing about 1000 fatalities in the
200:
905:
Spitz, Werner U.; Diaz, Francisco J.; Fisher, Russell S., eds. (2020).
743:
Spitz, Werner U.; Diaz, Francisco J.; Fisher, Russell S., eds. (2020).
446:
403:
232:
1316:
1156:
1127:
208:
860:
International
Electronics Commission, Report IEC/TR 60479-5, 2007
414:
285:
154:
138:
1455:
434:
204:
1100:
36:
402:
and the length of time for which it flows, not merely on the
726:
724:
311:
It was not the only choice of word people were considering.
250:
The adoption of the electric chair became mixed up in the "
1096:
682:
Edison and the
Electric Chair: A Story of Light and Death
382:
each year, with about 150 additional cases attributed to
711:
709:
812:
Kroll MW, Luceri RM, Efimov IR, Calkins H (July 2023).
1550:
1525:
1489:
1438:
1315:
1308:
1288:
1247:
1240:
1215:
1182:
1175:
1134:
215:This would lead to execution by electricity in the
67:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
479:Merriam-Webster Dictionary of the English Language
1039:The Electric Chair: An Unnatural American History
766:
764:
191:, received an extreme shock while working with a
239:, caused by a high-voltage arc lighting system,
30:"Electrocute" redirects here. For the band, see
308:word derived from "electro" and "execution".
1228:Focused assessment with sonography for trauma
1112:
460:, colloquially known as "going to the wire."
231:, thought to be a more humane alternative to
8:
219:in the early 1890s as an official method of
270:system in 1889 when noted anti-AC activist
1312:
1244:
1179:
1119:
1105:
1097:
837:
788:
499:. Oxford University Press. Archived from
127:Learn how and when to remove this message
27:Death or injury by passage of electricity
814:"The electrophysiology of electrocution"
655:
643:
469:
429:in the heart, which is reversible via
390:as opposed to ventricular asystole.
317:editorial column noted words such as "
730:
715:
667:
445:Electrocution is an uncommon form of
7:
65:adding citations to reliable sources
1558:Acute respiratory distress syndrome
771:Fish, R. M.; Geddes, L. A. (2009).
615:. Crown/Archetype. pp. 171–3.
521:awesomestories.com, THE LEYDEN JAR
197:injury from human-made electricity
25:
933:Suicide as a Dramatic Performance
328:equipment that was to be used), "
1563:Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
1082:
964:Rawson, Andrew (30 April 2015).
574:. Vol. 7. pp. 2825–7.
276:Thomson-Houston Electric Company
41:
998:Knopp, Guido (26 August 2011).
936:. Routledge. pp. 229–230.
52:needs additional citations for
1614:Post-traumatic stress disorder
884:10.1146/annurev.bioeng.2.1.477
684:. Bloomsbury. pp. 152–5.
1:
1087:The dictionary definition of
1060:. New York: Knopf Doubleday.
970:. Pen and Sword. p. 56.
930:Lester, David (5 July 2017).
532:Yang, Zongcheng, ed. (2015).
1255:Advanced trauma life support
1223:Diagnostic peritoneal lavage
967:Auschwitz: The Nazi Solution
340:ed" (after anti-AC activist
247:details of the method used.
157:or severe injury caused by
611:Stross, Randall E. (2007).
211:, touched a 250-volt wire.
183:In the Netherlands in 1746
1676:
830:10.1016/j.hroo.2023.06.004
580:10.1109/IEMBS.1992.5761711
371:
176:
29:
1296:Resuscitative thoracotomy
1184:Clinical prediction rules
547:10.1007/978-94-017-8575-4
296:In May 1889 the state of
262:system and industrialist
235:. After an 1881 death in
1192:Abbreviated Injury Scale
541:. Springer. p. 12.
454:Nazi concentration camps
392:Ventricular fibrillation
388:ventricular fibrillation
185:Pieter van Musschenbroek
169:commercial electricity.
1423:Penetrating head injury
1418:Intracranial hemorrhage
1056:Moran, Richard (2007).
1037:Brandon, Craig (2009).
477:"Electrocute" from the
1619:Subcutaneous emphysema
1578:Volkmann's contracture
1428:Traumatic brain injury
1265:Early appropriate care
1260:Damage control surgery
423:central nervous system
293:
147:
1393:Thoracic aorta injury
1353:Diaphragmatic rupture
1197:Injury Severity Score
1167:Trauma triad of death
1004:. The History Press.
437:and cellular damage.
334:Elbridge Thomas Gerry
323:Westinghouse Electric
289:
195:, the first recorded
177:Further information:
142:
1568:Compartment syndrome
1207:Revised Trauma Score
733:, pp. xxi–xxii.
680:Essig, Mark (2009).
535:Chinese Burn Surgery
348:preferred the words
61:improve this article
1403:Blunt kidney trauma
1373:Pulmonary contusion
872:Annu Rev Biomed Eng
670:, pp. 102–104.
497:Oxford Dictionaries
326:alternating current
268:alternating current
264:George Westinghouse
241:Alfred P. Southwick
1517:Spinal cord injury
1476:Penetrating trauma
1343:Soft tissue injury
1001:Hitler's Holocaust
503:on January 9, 2013
362:The New York Times
314:The New York Times
294:
221:capital punishment
187:'s lab assistant,
148:
32:Electrocute (band)
1632:
1631:
1546:
1545:
1388:Internal bleeding
1383:Cardiac tamponade
1338:Joint dislocation
1304:
1303:
1236:
1235:
1067:978-0-37572-446-6
1048:978-0-7864-4493-9
1011:978-0-7524-6937-9
977:978-1-4738-2798-1
943:978-1-351-48748-1
916:978-0-398-09313-6
754:978-0-398-09313-6
691:978-0-8027-1928-7
646:, pp. 14–24.
622:978-0-307-39456-9
556:978-94-017-8575-4
237:Buffalo, New York
137:
136:
129:
111:
16:(Redirected from
1667:
1660:1880s neologisms
1538:Pediatric trauma
1533:Geriatric trauma
1497:Abdominal trauma
1313:
1245:
1180:
1121:
1114:
1107:
1098:
1086:
1071:
1052:
1023:
1022:
1020:
1018:
995:
989:
988:
986:
984:
961:
955:
954:
952:
950:
927:
921:
920:
902:
896:
895:
867:
861:
858:
852:
851:
841:
809:
803:
802:
792:
768:
759:
758:
740:
734:
728:
719:
713:
704:
703:
677:
671:
665:
659:
653:
647:
641:
635:
634:
608:
602:
601:
567:
561:
560:
540:
529:
523:
518:
512:
511:
509:
508:
489:
483:
474:
132:
125:
121:
118:
112:
110:
69:
45:
37:
21:
1675:
1674:
1670:
1669:
1668:
1666:
1665:
1664:
1645:Causes of death
1635:
1634:
1633:
1628:
1542:
1521:
1485:
1434:
1309:Pathophysiology
1300:
1284:
1232:
1211:
1171:
1130:
1125:
1079:
1074:
1068:
1055:
1049:
1036:
1032:
1027:
1026:
1016:
1014:
1012:
997:
996:
992:
982:
980:
978:
963:
962:
958:
948:
946:
944:
929:
928:
924:
917:
904:
903:
899:
869:
868:
864:
859:
855:
818:Heart Rhythm O2
811:
810:
806:
770:
769:
762:
755:
742:
741:
737:
729:
722:
718:, p. xxii.
714:
707:
692:
679:
678:
674:
666:
662:
654:
650:
642:
638:
623:
610:
609:
605:
590:
569:
568:
564:
557:
538:
531:
530:
526:
519:
515:
506:
504:
491:
490:
486:
475:
471:
466:
458:electric fences
443:
376:
370:
368:Medical aspects
342:Harold P. Brown
302:William Kemmler
291:William Kemmler
284:
272:Harold P. Brown
252:war of currents
181:
175:
133:
122:
116:
113:
76:"Electrocution"
70:
68:
58:
46:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1673:
1671:
1663:
1662:
1657:
1652:
1647:
1637:
1636:
1630:
1629:
1627:
1626:
1621:
1616:
1611:
1610:
1609:
1604:
1594:
1593:
1592:
1590:Rhabdomyolysis
1585:Crush syndrome
1582:
1581:
1580:
1570:
1565:
1560:
1554:
1552:
1548:
1547:
1544:
1543:
1541:
1540:
1535:
1529:
1527:
1523:
1522:
1520:
1519:
1514:
1509:
1504:
1499:
1493:
1491:
1487:
1486:
1484:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1468:
1463:
1458:
1453:
1448:
1442:
1440:
1436:
1435:
1433:
1432:
1431:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1412:
1411:
1410:
1408:Splenic injury
1405:
1397:
1396:
1395:
1390:
1385:
1377:
1376:
1375:
1370:
1365:
1360:
1355:
1347:
1346:
1345:
1340:
1335:
1330:
1321:
1319:
1310:
1306:
1305:
1302:
1301:
1299:
1298:
1292:
1290:
1286:
1285:
1283:
1282:
1277:
1275:Trauma surgery
1272:
1267:
1262:
1257:
1251:
1249:
1242:
1238:
1237:
1234:
1233:
1231:
1230:
1225:
1219:
1217:
1216:Investigations
1213:
1212:
1210:
1209:
1204:
1199:
1194:
1188:
1186:
1177:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1144:
1138:
1136:
1132:
1131:
1126:
1124:
1123:
1116:
1109:
1101:
1095:
1094:
1078:
1077:External links
1075:
1073:
1072:
1066:
1053:
1047:
1033:
1031:
1028:
1025:
1024:
1010:
990:
976:
956:
942:
922:
915:
897:
862:
853:
824:(7): 457–462.
804:
760:
753:
735:
720:
705:
690:
672:
660:
656:Brandon (2009)
648:
644:Brandon (2009)
636:
621:
603:
588:
562:
555:
524:
513:
484:
468:
467:
465:
462:
442:
439:
374:Electric shock
372:Main article:
369:
366:
321:d" (after the
283:
280:
260:direct current
217:electric chair
189:Andreas Cuneus
179:Electric chair
174:
171:
166:electric chair
159:electric shock
145:electric chair
135:
134:
49:
47:
40:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1672:
1661:
1658:
1656:
1653:
1651:
1648:
1646:
1643:
1642:
1640:
1625:
1624:Wound healing
1622:
1620:
1617:
1615:
1612:
1608:
1605:
1603:
1600:
1599:
1598:
1595:
1591:
1588:
1587:
1586:
1583:
1579:
1576:
1575:
1574:
1571:
1569:
1566:
1564:
1561:
1559:
1556:
1555:
1553:
1551:Complications
1549:
1539:
1536:
1534:
1531:
1530:
1528:
1524:
1518:
1515:
1513:
1510:
1508:
1507:Facial trauma
1505:
1503:
1500:
1498:
1495:
1494:
1492:
1488:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1472:
1471:Gunshot wound
1469:
1467:
1466:Electrocution
1464:
1462:
1459:
1457:
1454:
1452:
1449:
1447:
1444:
1443:
1441:
1437:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1415:
1413:
1409:
1406:
1404:
1401:
1400:
1398:
1394:
1391:
1389:
1386:
1384:
1381:
1380:
1378:
1374:
1371:
1369:
1366:
1364:
1361:
1359:
1356:
1354:
1351:
1350:
1348:
1344:
1341:
1339:
1336:
1334:
1331:
1329:
1328:Bone fracture
1326:
1325:
1323:
1322:
1320:
1318:
1314:
1311:
1307:
1297:
1294:
1293:
1291:
1287:
1281:
1278:
1276:
1273:
1271:
1270:Trauma center
1268:
1266:
1263:
1261:
1258:
1256:
1253:
1252:
1250:
1246:
1243:
1239:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1220:
1218:
1214:
1208:
1205:
1203:
1200:
1198:
1195:
1193:
1190:
1189:
1187:
1185:
1181:
1178:
1174:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1162:Resuscitation
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1143:
1140:
1139:
1137:
1133:
1129:
1122:
1117:
1115:
1110:
1108:
1103:
1102:
1099:
1093:at Wiktionary
1092:
1091:
1090:electrocution
1085:
1081:
1080:
1076:
1069:
1063:
1059:
1054:
1050:
1044:
1041:. McFarland.
1040:
1035:
1034:
1029:
1013:
1007:
1003:
1002:
994:
991:
979:
973:
969:
968:
960:
957:
945:
939:
935:
934:
926:
923:
918:
912:
908:
901:
898:
893:
889:
885:
881:
877:
873:
866:
863:
857:
854:
849:
845:
840:
835:
831:
827:
823:
819:
815:
808:
805:
800:
796:
791:
786:
782:
778:
774:
767:
765:
761:
756:
750:
746:
739:
736:
732:
727:
725:
721:
717:
712:
710:
706:
701:
697:
693:
687:
683:
676:
673:
669:
664:
661:
658:, p. 24.
657:
652:
649:
645:
640:
637:
632:
628:
624:
618:
614:
607:
604:
599:
595:
591:
589:0-7803-0785-2
585:
581:
577:
573:
566:
563:
558:
552:
548:
544:
537:
536:
528:
525:
522:
517:
514:
502:
498:
494:
493:"electrocute"
488:
485:
481:
480:
473:
470:
463:
461:
459:
455:
450:
448:
440:
438:
436:
432:
431:defibrillator
428:
424:
420:
416:
411:
409:
405:
401:
395:
393:
389:
385:
381:
380:United States
375:
367:
365:
363:
359:
355:
351:
347:
346:Thomas Edison
343:
339:
335:
332:cide" (after
331:
327:
324:
320:
316:
315:
309:
307:
303:
299:
292:
288:
281:
279:
277:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
256:Thomas Edison
253:
248:
244:
242:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
180:
172:
170:
167:
162:
160:
156:
152:
151:Electrocution
146:
141:
131:
128:
120:
109:
106:
102:
99:
95:
92:
88:
85:
81:
78: –
77:
73:
72:Find sources:
66:
62:
56:
55:
50:This article
48:
44:
39:
38:
33:
19:
1502:Chest injury
1465:
1461:Crush injury
1451:Blunt trauma
1446:Blast injury
1368:Pneumothorax
1152:Traumatology
1147:Major trauma
1089:
1057:
1038:
1030:Bibliography
1015:. Retrieved
1000:
993:
981:. Retrieved
966:
959:
947:. Retrieved
932:
925:
906:
900:
875:
871:
865:
856:
821:
817:
807:
780:
776:
744:
738:
731:Moran (2007)
716:Moran (2007)
681:
675:
668:Moran (2007)
663:
651:
639:
612:
606:
571:
565:
534:
527:
516:
505:. Retrieved
501:the original
496:
487:
478:
472:
451:
444:
427:fibrillation
412:
396:
377:
361:
357:
353:
349:
337:
329:
319:Westinghouse
318:
312:
310:
295:
249:
245:
213:
201:arc lighting
182:
163:
150:
149:
123:
114:
104:
97:
90:
83:
71:
59:Please help
54:verification
51:
18:Electrocutes
1650:Electricity
1573:Contracture
1526:Demographic
1512:Head injury
1358:Flail chest
1280:Trauma team
878:: 477–509.
419:spinal cord
358:electromort
306:portmanteau
1639:Categories
1481:Stab wound
1363:Hemothorax
1289:Procedures
1248:Principles
1241:Management
1202:NACA score
1176:Assessment
1142:Polytrauma
1135:Principles
507:2015-08-22
464:References
408:resistance
254:" between
225:U.S. state
193:leyden jar
117:April 2011
87:newspapers
1439:Mechanism
1333:Degloving
1017:17 August
983:17 August
949:17 August
700:955211891
631:669067041
384:lightning
354:ampermort
282:Etymology
143:Death by
1655:Injuries
1597:Embolism
892:11701521
848:37520015
839:10373159
799:19907637
598:37264673
350:dynamort
298:New York
229:New York
1379:Cardio
790:2763825
783:: e44.
777:ePlasty
447:suicide
441:Suicide
404:voltage
400:current
233:hanging
223:in the
173:Origins
101:scholar
1490:Region
1414:Neuro
1317:Injury
1157:Triage
1128:Trauma
1064:
1045:
1008:
974:
940:
913:
890:
846:
836:
797:
787:
751:
698:
688:
629:
619:
596:
586:
553:
482:, 2009
209:France
103:
96:
89:
82:
74:
1349:Resp
594:S2CID
539:(PDF)
435:burns
415:brain
338:Brown
330:Gerry
155:death
108:JSTOR
94:books
1456:Burn
1324:MSK
1062:ISBN
1043:ISBN
1019:2024
1006:ISBN
985:2024
972:ISBN
951:2024
938:ISBN
911:ISBN
888:PMID
844:PMID
795:PMID
749:ISBN
696:OCLC
686:ISBN
627:OCLC
617:ISBN
584:ISBN
551:ISBN
356:and
205:Lyon
80:news
1607:fat
1602:air
1399:GI
880:doi
834:PMC
826:doi
785:PMC
576:doi
543:doi
452:In
417:or
344:).
266:'s
258:'s
227:of
153:is
63:by
1641::
886:.
874:.
842:.
832:.
820:.
816:.
793:.
779:.
775:.
763:^
723:^
708:^
694:.
625:.
592:.
582:.
549:.
495:.
449:.
360:.
352:,
207:,
1120:e
1113:t
1106:v
1070:.
1051:.
1021:.
987:.
953:.
919:.
894:.
882::
876:2
850:.
828::
822:4
801:.
781:9
757:.
702:.
633:.
600:.
578::
559:.
545::
510:.
130:)
124:(
119:)
115:(
105:·
98:·
91:·
84:·
57:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
