Post by JoannaL on Dec 11, 2021 11:07:20 GMT -5
A coffin-shaped “capsule,” or “suicide machine” that promises users a relatively painless death in less than a minute has been approved for use in Switzerland. The “Sarco,” a sarcophagus-like pod, slowly reduces oxygen and increases nitrogen, which induces hypoxia and hypocapnia, causing death. The contraption is designed to be operated from within simply by blinking in case the user is claustrophobic resulting in a locked-in syndrome wherein he or she cannot move due to total paralysis of the voluntary muscles.
Dr. Philip Nitschke (aka “Dr. Death),” director of Exit International, invented the machine and named it Sarco, meaning “stone coffin,” because it is biodegradable and can be detached from the base and serve as the user’s coffin. “Barring any unforeseen difficulties, we hope to be ready to make Sarco available for use in Switzerland next year,” he said. “It’s been a very expensive project so far, but we think we’re pretty close to implementation now.”
Two prototypes currently exist and another three-dimensional (3D) prototype is being printed by Exit International.
As expected, the device has drawn widespread criticism from religious and other groups, with some labeling the Sarco nothing more than “a glorified gas chamber.”
According to reports, approximately 1,300 individuals voluntarily euthanized themselves in Switzerland last year utilizing devices provided by organizations such as Exit International.
Sources: SWI News, December 11, 2021; Jack Dunhill, IFLS, December 7, 2021; and Charlotte Mondal, ED Times, December 10, 2021.