[Biophysics of thermal lesions]

Experiments on rats showed that thermal irradiation caused a more marked elevation of subcutaneous temperature at the area of the skin separated from the underlying tissues by a felt plate than at the skin area separated from the surrounding and underlying tissues and immediately sutured to its place or the area of the uninjured skin. The authors believe that the data obtained indicated that the blood flow played no significant role in leading the heat from the skin in the action of the radial heat on it. Of much greater significance is the capacity of the underlying tissues to lead off and to accumulate heat.