Triagle - Emergency care : XIV electrical injuries : (14th of 18 installments)

ABSTRACT

In the discussion of electrical injuries and the treatment of those injured by electricity, it is interesting to note the parallel between electricity and ionizing nuclear radiation both are forms of energy and both can serve us in many areas. Improperly handled, however, or out of control, both may inflict serious injury or death. The human body has a fairly high resistance to electricity, which accounts for one of the phenomena in electrical injury. If a sufficiently high electric current is applied across or through the heart, it will disrupt the normal electrical mechanism. The ordinary household current, which varies from 115 to 230 volts is deadly under certain conditions