Thomas Alva Edison is drawn into the most unpleasant controversy of his career: the Medico-Legal Society notifies the New York State Legislature that the quickest and least painful way to execute criminals condemned to death is with a 3,000-volt discharge of direct or alternating current. Edison is, in fact, convinced that the savage alternating motion of AC current, 60 times per second, would destroy every cell in the body. At this point in the “War of the Currents” between AC and DC, victory is already practically in the hands of AC current (Tesla and Westinghouse): in the last month, Westinghouse has received more orders for AC lights than Edison received for DC in a year. For electrocution in the electric chair, Edison, perhaps in good faith believing AC to be more lethal, nevertheless recommends AC. In December, the Medico-Legal Society recommends AC for the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison. At this point, Westinghouse, who had kept himself aloof until then, accused the commission of being the paid underling of the Edison Electric Light Company and a cynical psychological terrorist. Harold Brown, a member of the commission, challenged Westinghouse to an electric boxing match, with one pair of AC and one pair of DC gloves, and the voltage increased by 20 volts in each round. Westinghouse declined.
