Influence of blast wind injury of minor and medium severity on physical efficiency and behavioral reactions in animals
The results of study on dynamics of physical efficiency and behavioral response of albino rats after getting blast injury wound of different severity at different time of the first 24 hours are presented. Physical efficiency was estimated in a fixed period of 30 minutes, 3 and 24 hours after explosion, the behavioral response was estimated in the same way with additional measurements on the second and the third day. The distances from the explosion epicenter were 5 and 7 meters, that corresponded to the injuries of minor and medium severity. It was stated that there was significant decrease in physical efficiency in animals suffered from blast wind injury of medium severity, which were situated at the distance of 5 meters from the explosion epicenter in 30 minutes after exposure. The animals of the same group showed significant abnormalities of behavioral response. Minor injured animals, which were situated at the distance of 7 meters from the explosion epicenter, showed stable physical efficiency but with abnormalities of behavioral response. It was revealed, that the overwhelming majority of animals, being injured, showed rapid decrease in physical efficiency and exacerbation in abnormalities of passive-avoidance conditioned response in 3 hours after getting injury. By the end of the first experimental day of exposure, there was partly resuscitation of post-traumatic stability, but abnormalities in behavioral response were retained. We believe that in the victims of the explosion after the defeat of the air shock wave of minor and medium severity loss of employment and combat capability will be short, no more than a day, with the mental capacity, apparently, will have greater extent and recover more slowly.