Chinese water torture

"This murderer is Tortured with Ice-cold 1674.
A victim of Chinese water torture at Sing Sing Prison in Ossining, New York
A reproduction of a Chinese water torture apparatus at Berlin-Hohenschönhausen Memorial

Chinese water torture or a "dripping machine"[1] is a mentally painful process in which cold water is slowly dripped onto the scalp, forehead or face for a prolonged period of time.[1] The process causes fear and mental deterioration on the subject. The pattern of the drops is often irregular, and the cold sensation is jarring, which causes anxiety as a person tries to anticipate the next drip.[2]

Despite the name, it is not a Chinese invention and it is not traditional anywhere in Asia. Its earliest known version was first documented by Hippolytus de Marsiliis in Bologna (now in Italy) in the late 15th or early 16th century, and it was widely used in Western countries before being popularized by Harry Houdini in the early 20th century.[1][3][4]

  1. ^ a b c Dripping Machine de Young, Mary (2015). Encyclopedia of Asylum Therapeutics, 1750-1950s. ISBN 9780786468973.
  2. ^ Samuel, Eugenie. "Water torture". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :0 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Margaritoff, Marco; Anglis, Jaclyn (November 14, 2022). "The Disturbing History Of Chinese Water Torture — And How It Drove Victims Insane". All That's Interesting. Retrieved October 14, 2024.