[Significance of the vibration component in the injurious action of impact acceleration]

Animal experiments demonstrated that damped oscillations of the support construction induced by impact accelerations enhanced their damaging effect on dogs. Within the frequency range tested--from 20 to 178 Hz--the threshold of lesions of the lungs, heart and liver decreased and reached 34% at a frequency of 85 Hz. The level of liver lesions was inversely proportional to the frequency of the support oscillations. Lesions of the lungs and the heart were more expressed at 85 Hz and decreased with an increase or a decrease of the oscillation frequency. At a frequency of 130--176 Hz the effect of the vibration component was not seen.