January 17, 2003
Bouncing around the internet this morning, I found an interesting report. Written by a Dr. Beaurieux, the report details his experiment with (what remained of) a murderer by the name of Languille, executed by guillotine on June 28th, 1905. The following is a fascinating excerpt from that report.
Here, then, is what I was able to note immediately after the decapitation: the eyelids and lips of the guillotined man worked in irregularly rhythmic contractions for about five or six seconds. This phenomenon has been remarked by all those finding themselves in the same conditions as myself for observing what happens after the severing of the neck.
I waited for several seconds. The spasmodic movements ceased. The face relaxed, the lids half closed on the eyeballs, leaving only the white of the conjunctiva visible, exactly as in the dying whom we have occasion to see every day in the exercise of our profession, or as in those just dead. It was then that I called in a strong, sharp voice: "Languille!" I saw the eyelids slowly lift up, without any spasmodic contractions -- I insist advisedly on this peculiarity -- but with an even movement, quite distinct and normal, such as happens in everyday life, with people awakened or torn from their thoughts.
Next Languille's eyes very definitely fixed themselves on mine and the pupils focused themselves. I was not, then, dealing with the sort of vague dull look without any expression, that can be observed any day in dying people to whom one speaks: I was dealing with undeniably living eyes which were looking at me. After several seconds, the eyelids closed again, slowly and evenly, and the head took on the same appearance as it had had before I called out.
It was at that point that I called out again and, once more, without any spasm, slowly, the eyelids lifted and undeniably living eyes fixed themselves on mine with perhaps even more penetration than the first time. The there was a further closing of the eyelids, but now less complete. I attempted the effect of a third call; there was no further movement and the eyes took on the glazed look which they have in the dead.
I have just recounted to you with rigorous exactness what I was able to observe. The whole thing had lasted twenty-five to thirty seconds.
I find that simply amazing. Since reading that report, I've done several searches on the subject, and have found more interesting accounts regarding decapitated heads responding to stimuli. Charlotte Corday was executed by guillotine for the murder of Jean-Paul Marat. After the blade fell, her head was held up and shown to the gathered crowd. According to several onlookers, when slapped by assistant executioner Francois le Gros, both cheeks became flushed, and the face assumed an indignant expression.
According to the research I've done, it seems it is possible for the head to remain alive and aware up to 30 seconds after being severed from the body, though it seems to average somewhere around 15 seconds. In any event, a swiftly severed head can retain consciousness, at the very least, long enough to realize that it has been severed. That's incredible.
(09:32)
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