-4and transient centra. nervous system disturbances and
concussion may be observed.
Upon expesures to very high over=pressures, both
animals and man may be kiiled immediateiy or within a few
minutes.
The associatea vatnology is usually as follows:
lo
Cardicte contusion.
Commetio cordis
2.
Entrance of air iato the puimonary venous
circulation with cerebral or coronary air embolism.
3.
Respiratory tract hemorrhage.
4.
Pulmonary edema.
5.
Sinus and middie ear hemorrhage.
6.
Ruptured ear drums and disruption of the
8.
Central nervous system hemorrhages.
ossicles of the middie ear.
7.
Trauma to distended hollow viscera.
The degree of injury from the direct action of blast
appears to be dependent upon both the peak pressure and the
duration of the pressure wave.
Over=pressures are accompanied py momentary winds
of high velocity reaching 170 miles per hour for 5 p.s.i.
Individuals not restrained may be thrown violently for
considerable distances and inanimate objects may be accelerated to become missiies capable of causing very serious
injury.
I1t appears that the blast peak pressure is in itself of less danger than the mechanical trauma occasioned
by the drag forces on detachable objects.
For these reasons it is our present view that the
problem of biast injury is closely related to the blast
damage of structures and will therefore be more or less
co-extensive with the area of light to moderate damage to
buildings.
Material such as giass, which may be easily
fragmented and readily accelerated to high velocities, may
be anticipated to be a great source of injury from blast.
The wounds and other traumatic manifestations of such
missiles are well-known.
THERMAL RADIATION EFFECTS
Since the publicaticn of "The Effects of Atomic
Weapons," laboratory and field experiments have given much
{more)