I’ve encountered 18th-century convicts getting a reprieve from hanging in return for agreeing to join the army or navy, but this is a new one on me:
On the evening before execution, a respite of 14 days was brought for George Chippendale, and to be continued, if within that time he shall submit to suffer the amputation of a limb, in order to try the efficacy of a new-invented styptic for stopping the blood-vessels, instead of the present more painful practice in such cases. For this indulgence, he, together with his brother and his uncle, had joined in a petition to his Majesty, and thankfully accepted it, appearing in good health and spirits, ready and chearful to undergo the experiment.
(Ordinary’s Account, May 1763.)
I don’t know if any of the medical historians know anything more about the ‘new-invented styptic’, or whether it was successful?
4 comments on “It’s your neck or your arm”
I will ask around at work (surgeons), but it’s certainly not a substance still in use today. There are some blood clotting agents, cellulose (nitro-cellulose around then?) and thrombin (definitely not available then), but not really enough to stop the blood for a limb amputation. Electric cautery definitely a 20th century process. Suture tie (Silks) still the standard for large vessels.
And also, of course, I’m wondering what was the ‘present more painful practice’…?
I’m guessing cauterization with heat. I’m pretty sure that predates this time period by a while (I know it does in Japan….)
[…] I dashed off a quick post about someone I’d encountered in an Ordinary’s Account: It’s Your Neck or Your Arm On the evening before execution, a respite of 14 days was brought for George Chippendale, and to be […]