Yes. There were a number of experiments conducted like that. In one, the executioner picked up the head and shouted the victim's name in his face. The eyes opened and moved as he looked at the executioner. The executioner turned the head so it could see the decapitated body and the victim's face appeared visibly upset, and the mouth moved as if it were trying to speak.
Fucking horrifying. Imagine looking at your body from a distance as blood pours out of your ruined neck...
Final thoughts must be absolutely terrifying. Brain is desperately firing signals down your nerves, but they aren't reaching their intended muscles and such... I'm sure this induces panic and shock.
I think it's the swiftness of the beheading that determines how conscious the condemned is. Like if a dude took three chops with an axe to lop your head off, you might start losing consciousness after the second strike. But a guillotine, instant separation of the nervous system from the brain.
That was the whole point of the doctor's design.
(post is archived)