General Medical Effects Of Nuclear Weapons

This section covers medical problems which may result from the use of nuclear weapons.

Blast Injuries

The types of blast injuries by nuclear weapons are more varied than those caused by conventional weapons and are the result of two basic mechanisms, either the direct action of the blast wave overpressures or the indirect action of flying debris or violent displacement of individuals against other objects.

In addition, the blast injuries caused by nuclear weapons will frequently be complicated by associated thermal and/or radiation injuries. The number of casualties produced at any one time in a given area will be very much greater for nuclear weapons than for conventional weapons.

The treatment of blast injuries is generally not difficult unless there is unrecognized internal injury with slow hemorrhage. Missile injuries will predominate.

About half of the casualties seen will have wounds of their extremities. The thorax, abdomen, and head will be involved about equally. Missile injuries of the thorax, neck, and the head will be responsible for a large percentage of deaths because these types of injuries have a high probability of immediate fatality.

The missile injuries from flying debris caused by nuclear weapons will, in general, be of the low velocity type, and surprisingly severe injuries may be survived since extensive soft tissue damage would not be a factor. These injuries can occur with or without open wounds of the abdomen or the chest.