The past participle of decapitare is decapitatus which was used to create decapitationem, the noun form of decapitatus in Medieval Latin. From the Medieval Latin form, decapitationem, the French word décapitation was produced. History
Humans have practiced capital punishment by beheading for millennia. The Narmer Palette (c. 3000 BCE) shows the first known depiction of decapitated corpses. The terms "capital offence", "capital crime", "capital punishment", derive from the Latin caput, "head", referring to the punishment for serious offences involving the forfeiture of the head; i.e. death by beheading.Some cultures, such as ancient Rome and Greece regarded decapitation as the most honorable form of death. In the Middle Ages, many European nations continued to reserve the method only for nobles and royalty. In France, the French Revolution made it the only legal method of execution for all criminals regardless of class, one of the periods many symbolic changes.Others have regarded beheading as dishonorable and contemptuous, such as the Japanese troops who beheaded prisoners during World War II. In recent times, it has become associated with terrorism. Physiological aspects
Pain
If the headsmans axe or sword was sharp and his aim was precise, decapitation was quick and is presumed to be a relatively painless form of death. If the instrument was blunt or the executioner was clumsy, repeated strokes might be required to sever the head, resulting in a prolonged and more painful death. The person to be executed was therefore advised to give a gold coin to the headsman to ensure that he did his job with care.
Alkalinization of the urine causes salicylates to be trapped in renal tubules in their ionized form and then readily excreted in the urine. Alkalinization of the urine increases urinary salicylate excretion by 18 fold. Alkalinization of the plasma decreases the lipid soluble form of salicylates facilitating movement out of the central nervous system. Oral sodium bicarbonate is contra-indicated in salicylate toxicity as it can cause dissociation of salicylate tablets in the GI tract and subsequent increased absorption. Intravenous fluids
Intravenous fluids containing dextrose such as dextrose 5% in water (D5W) are recommended to keep a urinary output between 1 and 1.5 millilitres per kilogram per hour.Sodium bicarbonate is given in a significant aspirin overdose (salicylate level greater than 35 mg/dL 6 hours after ingestion) regardless of the serum pH, as it enhances elimination of aspirin in the urine. It is given until a urine pH between 7.5 and 8.0 is achieved. Dialysis
Hemodialysis can be used to enhance the removal of salicylate from the blood, usually in those who are severely poisoned. Examples of severe poisoning include people with high salicylate blood levels: 7.25 mmol/L (100 mg/dL) in acute ingestions or 40 mg/dL in chronic ingestions, significant neurotoxicity (agitation, coma, convulsions), kidney failure, pulmonary edema, or cardiovascular instability.