Tarring and feathering concerned coating an individual in sizzling tar after which masking them with feathers. This type of public humiliation and punishment was typically carried out by mobs or vigilantes. The act was supposed to trigger ache, discomfort, and social ostracization, serving as a way of extralegal justice or intimidation. Historic accounts element its use primarily in colonial America and frontier areas.
Whereas the first goal was to inflict humiliation and ache, the process might, in reality, be deadly. The severity trusted a number of elements, together with the temperature of the tar, the extent of the burns inflicted, and the general well being of the sufferer. Scalding from the new tar might result in extreme burns and subsequent infections. Moreover, inhalation of sizzling tar fumes might trigger respiratory misery and probably be deadly. The aged, kids, and people with pre-existing medical situations have been significantly susceptible to life-threatening problems.