Since 1956 Dr. Jack Kevorkian was well known by his nickname "Dr. Death". After he conducted a graphic study photographing patients' eyes as they died. His studys showed that blood vessels in the cornea contract and become invisible as the heart stops beating and the patient dies.. In a 1958 paper, he suggested that death row inmates
be euthanized, and that their bodily organs harvested for thoes who need them. In 1960, he proposed using
prisoners for medical experiments.In 1989, a quadriplegic, too handicapped to kill himself, publicly asked for
assistance in his own death, and Dr. Kevorkian began tinkering on a suicide machine that he could later call the thanatron. His first patient to test the contraption was a 54 year old with alzheimers named Janet Adkins. The device proved to be sucessful thus leading to Kevorkian assisting at least 45 more patients in their own deaths.
be euthanized, and that their bodily organs harvested for thoes who need them. In 1960, he proposed using
prisoners for medical experiments.In 1989, a quadriplegic, too handicapped to kill himself, publicly asked for
assistance in his own death, and Dr. Kevorkian began tinkering on a suicide machine that he could later call the thanatron. His first patient to test the contraption was a 54 year old with alzheimers named Janet Adkins. The device proved to be sucessful thus leading to Kevorkian assisting at least 45 more patients in their own deaths.
THE THANATRON
He called the machine used to kill the patients, the Thanatron which translates to 'death machine' in Greek. It was made so that the patient could pull the trigger thus ending their own life.
The creation was simple it started with an intravenous drip of saline solution through IV. The patient would then press a button starting a device which stopped the saline solution and started releasing a drug of thiopental with a 60-second timer. This would put the patient into a deep coma.Finally, the timer's click after the 60 seconds would begin a lethal dose of potassium chloride which, in minutes, would stop the heart. The patient would end up dieing of a heart
attack while asleep.
The creation was simple it started with an intravenous drip of saline solution through IV. The patient would then press a button starting a device which stopped the saline solution and started releasing a drug of thiopental with a 60-second timer. This would put the patient into a deep coma.Finally, the timer's click after the 60 seconds would begin a lethal dose of potassium chloride which, in minutes, would stop the heart. The patient would end up dieing of a heart
attack while asleep.
The Thanatron its self was made from odd bits and pieces of household tools and toy parts, magnets and electrical switches. It had an electric clock motor wiith a pulley axle, and a chain and two coils acting as electric bar magnets.Dr. Kevorkian found many opertunities to show off his creation to the world, ncluding an appearance on the "Donahue" show. He called it "dignified, humane, and painless and the patient can do it in the comfort of their own home at any
time they want."
time they want."
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In 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Americans who want to kill themselves, but are incapable of doing so have no Constitutional right to end their lives. Kevorkian was then sentenced to 10-25 years in prison.
He was paroled in 2007 after 8 years in jail. He died on June 3rd, 2011 at 83 years old.
He was paroled in 2007 after 8 years in jail. He died on June 3rd, 2011 at 83 years old.