Why do they swab your arm with alcohol before they administer a lethal injection?

Answer 1

so that the puncture site does not get infected... Personally, I think they should save the alcohol and cotton...(Not that I believe in the death penalty, because I don't)...It' just really silly... when the purpose is to kill someone..

Answer 2

They follow their normal standards of procedure and so the job requires a bit O' alcohol on the arm,even if the person shall soon die.Nurses do so all the time but they most often do not use lethal injections afterward,just a dab before the shot to prevent infection....Tom Science 4

Answer 3

No infection could kill you faster than the lethal injection (unless there is gross incompetence) but many executions have been stayed at the last minute by order of an appeals court or a governor. It would be a gross miscarriage of justice if a convict were to be spared by a stay of execution only to get sick and maybe die of infection from an unsterilized injection procedure.

Answer 4

Like most medical procedures you start an IV the same way each and every time. This insures that good procedures are done on a constant basis. It does not matter what the outcome of the IV is the training is to do it the same way every time. Cuts down on errors.

Answer 5

It's standard procedure to wipe down a skin surface with alcohol to keep the microbial count low since you are going to break the skin surface with a needle. I guess that is sort of an oxymoron since it really wouldn't matter for someone getting a lethal injection, but I guess general practice it just becomes second nature to people to do that procedure.

Answer 6

So if for some freakish occurrence you survive the lethal injection you won't then die of an infection. Hell if someone survives the injection they need to use them as a lab rat!!

Answer 7

Ironically to stop the person from getting infected or injured by the actual needle. They believe this is more ethical. They only want the person to dye of the poison instead of a rusty needle

Answer 8

First of all, I understand and validate your ironic question, it you’re going to die, who cares about being clean? However, the Due Process Clause of the constitution protects all types of people, both criminals and non.
Have you ever wondered why people on death row take 20 years to actually receive their sentence? It’s because our judicial system protects these people no matter what. Personally, I’d rather a system like ours over others.

Answer 9

A witty question. Hahaha! It is a standard to health professionals. Good Question! Star!

Answer 10

Now they don't want you to get the last minute infection...and so that family can't sue that he died from the infection, not injection. They could call that mistreatment.