Executions and Euthanasia.

In a recent execution in the state of Florida, it took an hour or more for the man to die. The court ruled this was cruel and unusual punishment. Florida has now suspended all executions.

Veterinarians carry out euthanasia of animals by lethal injection on a regular basis. The drug has to be given intravenously. In the Florida case they apparently didn't have the IV catheter securely in the vein, which is understandable. It can be very difficult to find a "good" vein in some animals, and I'm sure the same is true of humans. But it apparently took them an excessively long time to realize the drugs were not going into the vein. It is not difficult in animals to check a catheter by giving IV fluids, first. You make sure the fluids are running smoothly and there is no swelling.

Our patients are sometimes not very cooperative and I would be surprised if that is not also true with humans. In such cases, we sometimes dispense a tranquilizer or sedative for the owner to give at home before bringing the pet to the clinic. Or we may first give a sedative by an injection in the muscle or under the skin, which is much easier to do.

Nurses, anesthesiologists and anesthetists for humans are generally very proficient at placing IV catheters. But they are in short supply in the medical field, and they are trained and dedicated to saving, lives, not ending them. A certain "knack" for hitting a vein helps too. It may be that it's hard to find proficient people who are willing to carry out executions.

I can't understand why there is so much controversy over what drugs to use. The drug we use for euthanasia is very effective and not very expensive. A barbiturate, until not long ago it was commonly used for general anesthesia in animals and humans. We just give a much larger dose for euthanasia. The animal literally "goes to sleep" first, usually before the injection is finished. The heart stops naturally moments later. There are sometimes stories in the media about dogs that required multiple euthanasia injections and kept waking up again. In thirty years of practice I have never had that happen and I think those are instances where the needle or catheter was not in the vein, or the dose was incorrect, or someone was careless about checking to make sure the heart had stopped.

I don't understand why in human executions they can't give a strong sedative, first, given in the muscle to render the person unconscious and then place a catheter and give the same barbiturate we use in veterinary medicine. Or why can't they first use the same drugs they use for anesthesia for surgery? Is it because that would "water down" the punishment? Is a certain vengeance required? If we are going to take someone's life, can't we at least do it humanely?

That is, if we are going to execute people. In cases where DNA testing can be used, it has proven that a substantial percentage of those executed were wrongly convicted. There is no reason to think that percentage would be any different in those cases where DNA testing cannot be used. There is no evidence the justice system will be any better in the future in cases with no DNA evidence available. I've read that it costs more to execute someone than keep them in prison for life. And any dog trainer can tell you that punishment that comes years after the crime is not going be much of a deterrent.