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