kpblade
10-02-2005, 17:17
I just wanted to comment on a previously closed discussion (mod, I'm not trying to resurrect the off-topic discussion, just wanting to add my opinions on the original). The term vital organ or vital function, at least from a medical standpoint, would pertain to the idea that a person would not be able to live without that function or organ. Heart and brain are the ones that easily come to mind. Cessation of these functions doesn't necessarily mean immediate death as well. (You can't live without your liver, but it's hard to destroy the liver completely all at once). If your heart stops, you lose consciousness in 6 seconds and then you die beacause of continued lack of circulation to the brain; if your brain ceases function, you're dead. The issue becomes how quicky and how effectively does an injury (such as a bullet traversing that organ)compromise the function of that organ. Penetrating trauma to the heart obviously damages the heart, yet an ice pick to the heart constitutes penetrating trauma, but there are many instances of patients surviving stab wounds to the heart. A .223 rifle bullet has a similar profile to a .25 ACP, yet does considerable more damage because of the physics of its wound channel. It is the size of the wound channel, which is created by the energy of the projectile, that will determine just how much function of the organ becomes instantaneously compromised. Even non-pentrating, blunt trauma, can transfer enough energy to compromise cardiac funtion, ie initiating an arrhythmia. If enough function becomes immediately compromised, they'll go down. GSWs that compromise the function of the heart or the brain (rounds that have enough energy to disrupt these functions immediately regardless of penetration) should have an immediate effect. Any other types or location of injuries, fatal or not, will not have effect until they indirectly lead to compromise of the other vital organs, eg. a shot to the lungs that disrupts the pulmonary artery or vein is most likely fatal, but won't put the person out until they have bled enough to compromise the circulation to the heart and brain. So, overall, while penetration is good, it is technically not an absolute necessity; Overpenetration does not necessarily mean wasted energy if enough was delivered to incapacitate, just that I wouldn't want to be behind the person shot. Sorry if I'm rambling, just my 2 cents.
