Something I've never understood....

[Docsgirl]

Kind of a weird topic, but this is something I've never understood and after debating the death penalty with a friend of mine a few days ago I must ask.....

Does anyone know why they swab the arm with alcohol to be sterile before a lethal injection? I mean.....it's an injection that is going to kill the person. And I highly doubt it being an "unsterile" procedure would really get you before whatever it is that their injecting into the vein. It's always been a head-scratcher for me. :huh:

[mitch]

I've wondered that too. It might be to get the vein to show up clearly.

Or maybe it's just a habit.

A bit like having a biscuit with a cup of tea. The two go together and no one knows why. :rofl:

[gwenshack]

I think it has to do with the idea that a punishment cannot be cruel and unusual. You have to treat a person humanely when they're alive. Sure, keeping things sterile for a person who's about to be killed seems stupid, but there's also the slight chance that the person could receive a last second pardon. If it hadn't been sterile and they get an infection due to negligent care they could sue the state for damages.

[WebLady]

I think it has to do with the idea that a punishment cannot be cruel and unusual. You have to treat a person humanely when they're alive. Sure, keeping things sterile for a person who's about to be killed seems stupid, but there's also the slight chance that the person could receive a last second pardon. If it hadn't been sterile and they get an infection due to negligent care they could sue the state for damages.
This is probably right ... sort of a funny thing I have always wondered too.

[kgvettegirl]

Back in the good old days of 1630 when my 9th great grandfather was hung, drawn and quartered for murder they didn't worry about such things. He had shot someone at point plank range who did not die of lead poisoning until several weeks later.

[gwenshack]

Back in the good old days of 1630 when my 9th great grandfather was hung, drawn and quartered for murder they didn't worry about such things. He had shot someone at point plank range who did not die of lead poisoning until several weeks later.

Ahhh yes, the good ol' days...hehe :winktongue:

[kgvettegirl]

yep, no waiting for decades before receiving your punishment. No lawyers dragging out the inevitable. As soon as you were convicted you got your punishment.

[Tadswife]

It's standard of care that doctors or who ever has to make the injection by law must make sure it is sterile before the injection is done. Regardless if the person is about to die. It's the law and they must follow it..

[ChristineLS]

It's standard of care that doctors or who ever has to make the injection by law must make sure it is sterile before the injection is done. Regardless if the person is about to die. It's the law and they must follow it..

The mixture that is used to kill the inmate is not medically based at all, but based in the law. Because of the Hippocratic oath, you can't consult a doctor about how to kill someone since they promised to do no harm. So a politician did a bit of research and looked it up, and made it up, but that also adds to the above controversy of where medicine and ethics fall together.

I think they should consult vets, if they must use the death penalty at all, because they have a lot of expertise killing relatively humanely, if humaneness is the name of the game.