Why so long to die?

[Suetheramble]

Does anyone know why when someone is hung does it take about 1/2 hour to die but when someone is strangled they are dead within minutes?

[Loosehead]

Dunno where you get that info, a proper hanging breaks the neck and is pretty much instant. You may be referring to "hangings" where the victim is hung up by their neck and chokes to death and that takes longer but not Half an hour.

[andyjevs]

What an apt name loosehead !!!!!....you're spot on though, hanging is instant, it breaks the neck and is probably the most humane method of execution.

[Suetheramble]

I know quickest way is to break the neck but if it doesnt break why does it take longer to die than by being strangled?

[Electrochem]

Although judicial hanging breaks the neck (cervical vertabrae to be exact), death is caused by strangulation whilst the person on the rope is unconscious. The ezact time can vaty. It is for this reason that anyone hanged in the UK was left for 1 hour on the rope.

[Coobeastie]

The drop needs to be worked out accurately to ensure that the neck breaks when the trap door is released.