SUBJECT:
Combined Injury
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the effects of combined blast, thermal and radiation
injuries,
TEST
PROCEDURE:
STATUS OF
KNOWLEDGE:
No specific field tests have been designed with this objective.
Experience at) GREENHOUSE and UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE has given field data,
Analysis of the Japanese data indicated that there was a
number of combined injuries but the nature of the data made
evaluation difficult.
Charts will be presented at the conference
which show the probabilities of combined radiation and thermal
burns occurring in the same individual,
a.
Burns and Radiation
(1)
At GREENHOUSE it was demonstrated that "if thermal
burns progress to a point of partial epithelialization, healing
proceeds in spite of mortal radiation injury. However, granulat-
ing biopsy wounds or burns become gangrenous or slough when
' signs of radiation sickness develop".
KNOTHOLE was similar,
(2)
Experience at UPSHOT-
Laboratory experience at Medical College of
Virginia in 1950 indicated synergism. Small, non-lethal contact burns gave a high mortality rate when combined with non-
lethal amounts of radiation. These results were only partially
confirmed in the past year. Radiant energy burns apparently
produce a milder systemic effect and therefore a lower incidence
\
of mortality when combined with non-lethal radiation.
(3)
Recent work at the Naval Radiological Defense
Laboratory with hot water burns was similar to the contact
burns at Virginia. Radiant energy burns have not been fully
analyzed as yet.
b.
Fractures and Burns
Combined fractures and burns have been studied in
The results indicated that plaster casts may be contra-
dogs.
indicated in the treatment of fractures with overlying burns.
Intranedullary nailing even though the burnwes more satisfactory.
The applicability to humane has not been evaluated.
c.
Radiation and Surgery
Surgery (resection of bowel) following radiation had
no effect on either the recovery from surgery or the course
of the radiation syndrome,
3t