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Is Lucid Decapitation Real?
🕑 Added 2022-12-09 11:15:01 +0000 UTCDirect link: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YWVEmEoX-lg
The idea of lucid decapitation has fascinated and horrified me for quite a long time. Even though we have more answers today than we did back in the 1700s, it's still not entirely certain whether it's real or not.
Here's an account of a decapitation from 1905 that I always found particularly haunting. It's the words of Dr Gabriel Beaurieux, writing about condemned prisoner Henry Languille just after he's been executed:
"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..."
Even knowing that this was probably just the firing of random nerves, it's hard to shake the image of a decapitated head responding to a name!
Comments
Fascinating Horror
I've had a quick read about him just now. Absolutely horrifying - the sheer number of people he executed, and his drive for efficiency...
Fascinating Horror
That's a good point. Perhaps I should say that *with current technology* we can't know. But you're right - there's no knowing what we might be able to determine in the future!
Jennifer Durham
I watched a program about Johann Reichhart called “Hitler’s Executioner”. I learned more about guillotines than I thought possible. His approach was terribly efficient.
Sierra Reppert
Why is it certain that we can never truly know if consciousness occurs after decapitation? I guess that may be an obvious question, but I guess I'm not yet convinced that we couldn't one day find out haha :)
