J. Barz

Comparison Between Child Cadavers and Child Dummy by Using Child Restraint Systems in Simulated Collisions

At present, numerous restraint systems for children applied in vehicles are in general considered for the use on the back seats. Up to now, only impact tests with dummies and animals have been carried through by these systems. Out of the great number of children, seats and belts we used a system (deformable safety impact table combined with a lap-belt) which has been investigated by us during frontal impacts utilizing two dummies and four cadavers of children in the age of 2 5 up to 11 years having body weights of 16 up to 31 kg. The tests have been conducted on the deceleration-sled track at the Institute of Legal Medicine of the University Heidelberg. Impact velocities of 30 km/h and 40 km/h at a medium deceleration of 20g have been chosen. None of the test sugjects showed injuries to the inner organs; however, numerous muscular hemorrhages as well as hemorrhages of discs and ligaments were noticed. The HIC values lay between 100 and 500; accelerations in x-direction up to 44g and in z- direction up to 85g occurred at the head. Lap-belt forces of 160 up to 400 daN were measured. A weak point of the investigated system is that the childs movements are considerably limited, a factor also noticed in other child restraint systems; however, the protective function proved to be an advantage. The movements during the impact, pictured by high-speed cameras, essentially differ from those of adults wearing 3-point belts. The maximum flexion of the vertebral column is, due to the system, located in the transition of the thoracic to the lumbar vertebral column and the flexion angles amounted about 90 degrees. As expected were the maximum head displacements in relation to a sled-fixed axis dependent on the impact velocity and the body height, and ranged between 50 cm (crash velocity 30 km/h, body height 97 cm) and 90 cm (crash velocity 40 km/h, body height 139 cm). The movement will be analyzed; the anatomical and mechanical causes are going to be investigated. Finally, the results will be compared with similar dummy tests investigated by use. Due to these differences in the dummy and cadaver behavior, the necessity is pointed out to examine all restraint systems by cadaver tests. /Author/

Neck and thorax tolerance levels of belt-protected occupants in head-on collisions

Our tests with fresh human cadavers were continued (cf. proceedings, 18th Stapp Car Crash Conference). Presented herewith are the results of 103 tests evaluated so far. While the severity of injuries showed an increase with advancing age, it is not obviously dependent upon weight or sex. Under the conditions chosen by us, the 12 to 30-year age group reached the thorax tolerance level at an impact velocity of still below 50 kn/h with a stopping distance of 40 cm, the 30- to 50-year age group of below 40 km/h, and the age group beyond 50 years below 30 km/h. A comparison of our results with volunteer tests (Ewing et al., 29) and with evaluated real accidents (Patrick et al., 22) as well as with similar cadaver tests (Terriere et al., 19) is made. When introducing safety testing regulations for vehicles in the light of dummy tests, the broad spectrum of the respective age groups has to be considered. The thorax injuries may be slightly mitigated due to a lessening of the surface pressure. The injuries of the neck and thoracic vertebra, on the other hand are apparently not dependent on this factor and to a varying extent, are always occurring at an impact velocity of 50 km/h. Here too, the severity of the injuries increases according to the age. Therefore, it was set grant store by the recording of vertebral injuries. By employing careful dissection and preparatory-techniques, disc injuries, hemorrhages in the region of muscles and intervertebral joints were found in the majority of the cases, where as less frequently fractures of vertebral arcs and fractures of the processus spinosus and transversus, respectively were noticed. Highly dangerous vertebral injuries involving contusion or rupture of the cervical or thoracic spinal cord occurred only rarely. The Abbreviated ACIR scale proved to be sufficient for the graduation of the injuries. The grades ranging from 0 to 4 may well-be compared with the AIS scale with grades from 0 to 9 (AIS 6 - = fatal is equivalent to ACIR 4). States and Huelke (30) suggest the simplification and reduction of the AIS scale. They recommend a condensation of figures 6 - 9, thereby approaching the ACIR scale. By measuring the bone hardness and bending strength of the ribs, the skeleton injuries observed in the tests were related to the age-dependent resistance capability. In concluding, reports will be rendered on the photographic evaluation of the phases of movement recorded laterally by a high-speed camera, and on the legal basis of cadaver tests.

Selbsttötung durch zwei Kopfschüsse

Ein 40jahriger Mann brachte sich in suicidaler Absicht zwei Pistolenschusse Kaliber 7,65 mm in die rechte Schlafe bei. Der erste Schus durchschlug unter Durchtrennung des linken Sehnerven die hinteren Anteile beider Augenhohlen und schadigte fronto-basale Gehirnregionen, die Handlungsfahigkeit blieb jedoch erhalten. Der zweite Schus, unmittelbar hinter der Einschusoffnung des ersten beigebracht, durchsetzte beide Groshirn-hemispharen und fuhrte zum Tode.SummaryA 40-year-old man, on suicidal purpose, shot himself twice in the right temple with a pistol, cal. 7.65 mm (32 cal.). The first shot traversed the back parts of both orbits, severed the left optic nerve and damaged frontobasal brain regions; however, the capability of acting remained. The second shot, directly placed behind the inshoot of the first shot, penetrated both cerebral hemispheres and caused death.ZusammenfassungEin 40jähriger Mann brachte sich in suicidaler Absicht zwei Pistolenschüsse Kaliber 7,65 mm in die rechte Schläfe bei. Der erste Schuß durchschlug unter Durchtrennung des linken Sehnerven die hinteren Anteile beider Augenhöhlen und schädigte fronto-basale Gehirnregionen, die Handlungsfähigkeit blieb jedoch erhalten. Der zweite Schuß, unmittelbar hinter der Einschußöffnung des ersten beigebracht, durchsetzte beide Großhirn-hemisphären und führte zum Tode.