Gross but interesting

so, i was searching "Jack & Jill". the first hit i looked at had a description of the political history of the poem we all learned as a kid. THEN it had this:

" On the gruesome subject of beheading it was the custom that following execution the severed head was held up by the hair by the executioner. This was not, as many people think, to show the crowd the head but in fact to show the head the crowd and it's own body! Consciousness remains for at least eight seconds after beheading until lack of oxygen causes unconsciousness and eventually death. "

who knew?

from: http://www.rhymes.org.uk/jack_and_jill.htm