FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   PreferencesPreferences   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 
Forum index » Medicine forums » patology
Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury
Post new topic   Reply to topic Page 1 of 1 [7 Posts] View previous topic :: View next topic
Author Message
Radium
medicine forum addict


Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:28 am    Post subject: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

Hi:

I have a question.

Lets say I was somehow invincibile. Totally physically-invincible to
all injuries excluding flame burns to the skin [and only the skin]
resulting from direct contact with flames. Lets say that the only
molecules affected in my skin were proteins. Lets say that the
denatured proteins in my thermally-injured skin did not coagulate. Lets
say that no inflamatory reaction occured. Lets also say that no
infection occured. In addition, no nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands,
oil glands, lymph nodes, hair roots, dermal muscles [e.g. erector
muscles under hairs], or hairs were directly affected. Lastly, lets
also say that the organic molecules in my skin could not carbonize no
matter how hot. If I suffered a third-degree flame burn [from an
*oxyacetylene* flame], what symptoms would I experience? What color
would my skin change to?

Note: I have no actual application for this question. I am just in it
for the science. I am interested in wierd science and sci-fi.

Any assistance would be appreciated


Thanks,

Radium


P.S. My Email is glucegen1b@excite.com
I don't use glucegen1@excite.com
Back to top
Mark Martin
medicine forum beginner


Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:42 am    Post subject: Re: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

Radium wrote:
Quote:
Hi:

I have a question.

Lets say I was somehow invincibile. Totally physically-invincible to
all injuries excluding flame burns to the skin [and only the skin]
resulting from direct contact with flames. Lets say that the only
molecules affected in my skin were proteins. Lets say that the
denatured proteins in my thermally-injured skin did not coagulate. Lets
say that no inflamatory reaction occured. Lets also say that no
infection occured. In addition, no nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands,
oil glands, lymph nodes, hair roots, dermal muscles [e.g. erector
muscles under hairs], or hairs were directly affected. Lastly, lets
also say that the organic molecules in my skin could not carbonize no
matter how hot. If I suffered a third-degree flame burn [from an
*oxyacetylene* flame], what symptoms would I experience? What color
would my skin change to?

Note: I have no actual application for this question. I am just in it
for the science. I am interested in wierd science and sci-fi.

Well... This is sort of like years ago when my kid brother asked,
"What if snow was warm instead of cold?" I replied, "Then it wouldn't
be snow."

-Mark Martin
Back to top
hhc314@yahoo.com
medicine forum beginner


Joined: 19 Nov 2005
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:02 am    Post subject: Re: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

Radium, let me assure that if you recieve a really bad Third Degree
Burn, both your skin and underlying flesh will in fact carbonize and
turn black. When that happens, the healing time is very prolonged.

As a an experienced fireworks display shooter about this. Just citing
one of my three persoanal experiences of this type, on the first
occasion the molten dross from one of the flare that we used to ignite
display fireworks dropped onto my foot, burned though the sneaker that
I was foolishling wearing, and created a third degree burn of this type
on my foot. A doctor had to cut away the carbonized flesh in order for
it to heal properly.

While not diminishing the burn potentialil the value of an
oxy-acetylene flame, the simple fact is that your body will react
immediately to remove the source of the heat with often only a first or
second degree burn resulting (I know because I have an use one). On
the other hand, if the dross from molten steel falls into your shoe and
you cannot immediately remove it, then you'll enjoy the experience of a
good, flesh carbonizing, third degree burn, which I hope you will never
experience.

Have you ever seen what a chared body removed from a fire looks like?
Hopefully you havent and never will. The smell is exactly like burnt
pork! That same odor is indicative of any thrid degree burn.

Harry C.
Back to top
Radium
medicine forum addict


Joined: 17 Nov 2005
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:06 am    Post subject: Re: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

hhc314@yahoo.com wrote:
Quote:
Radium, let me assure that if you recieve a really bad Third Degree
Burn, both your skin and underlying flesh will in fact carbonize and
turn black. When that happens, the healing time is very prolonged.

What if it did not carbonize? Lets say for some 'magical' reason.

Quote:
As a an experienced fireworks display shooter about this. Just citing
one of my three persoanal experiences of this type, on the first
occasion the molten dross from one of the flare that we used to ignite
display fireworks dropped onto my foot, burned though the sneaker that
I was foolishling wearing, and created a third degree burn of this type
on my foot. A doctor had to cut away the carbonized flesh in order for
it to heal properly.

I sure hope you have fully recovered.

Quote:
While not diminishing the burn potentialil the value of an
oxy-acetylene flame, the simple fact is that your body will react
immediately to remove the source of the heat with often only a first or
second degree burn resulting (I know because I have an use one).

What if my body does not reflexively pull me away from the source of
heat?

How long does it take for and oxy-acetylene flame to cause a
third-degree burn?

Could the flame be made so hot that it would instantly cause a
third-degree burn before signals of pain are generated?

Quote:
On
the other hand, if the dross from molten steel falls into your shoe and
you cannot immediately remove it, then you'll enjoy the experience of a
good, flesh carbonizing, third degree burn, which I hope you will never
experience.

Third-degree burns caused by hot water don't carbonize.

Another thing. Once, I was pouring some boiling water into a
cup-o-noodles soup container, the water spilled on my left hand,
turning it bright red. I am sure this was just a first degree burn. It
was red and extremely irritating.

A year later, I was frying tortillas in HOT butter. Some frying-hot
butter fell on my feet! Needless to say, I was stunned for a moment.
The burn on my foot became cold, pale, and moist, it began to give out
fluid [Must have been a superficial 2nd-degree burn]. My skin is
usually brownish yellow since I am of Indian ancestry. The burnt skin
on my foot, however, became albino white [no brown, no black, no
yellow, no red]! Took about a week to completely heal. It then regained
its normal color.

Strangely, the water burn on my hand was so much more debilitating than
the butter burn on my foot! The burn on my foot was sharply painful but
I could ignore it. The burn on my hand, however, was just so irritating
and painful. This is strange. Aren't superficial second-degree burns
supposed to MORE painful than first-degree burns??

It seems the hands and arms are far more irritated by the presence of
thermal burns than the feet and legs.
Back to top
Kyle Legate
medicine forum beginner


Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 12:47 pm    Post subject: Re: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

Radium wrote:
Quote:
hhc314@yahoo.com wrote:

Radium, let me assure that if you recieve a really bad Third Degree
Burn, both your skin and underlying flesh will in fact carbonize and
turn black. When that happens, the healing time is very prolonged.


What if it did not carbonize? Lets say for some 'magical' reason.

Then this is not "weird science" or science fiction, it's fantasy.


This is the wrong newsgroup for fantasy.

You're the kook who asked a similar fantastical question about deafness
a few weeks ago, aren't you?
Back to top
Mark Fergerson
medicine forum beginner


Joined: 20 Nov 2005
Posts: 3

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 2:45 pm    Post subject: Re: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

Radium wrote:
Quote:
hhc314@yahoo.com wrote:

Radium, let me assure that if you recieve a really bad Third Degree
Burn, both your skin and underlying flesh will in fact carbonize and
turn black. When that happens, the healing time is very prolonged.

What if it did not carbonize? Lets say for some 'magical' reason.

Then your skin isn't made mostly of keratin. What _is_ it made of?

Quote:
While not diminishing the burn potentialil the value of an
oxy-acetylene flame, the simple fact is that your body will react
immediately to remove the source of the heat with often only a first or
second degree burn resulting (I know because I have an use one).

What if my body does not reflexively pull me away from the source of
heat?

Then your skin will continue to do whatever it does when exposed
to heat.

Quote:
How long does it take for and oxy-acetylene flame to cause a
third-degree burn?

Depends; is it a pinpoint minitorch, or one big enough to cut
plates of WWII battleship armor? Rate of burn depends on heat
transferred, not just the temperature of the source. The surface of
the sun is considerably hotter than anything you can get your hands
on easily, but try getting a first degree burn from it; it's just
too far away to transfer much heat to your skin.

Quote:
Could the flame be made so hot that it would instantly cause a
third-degree burn before signals of pain are generated?

Sure, try an oxyhydrogen torch.

Quote:
On
the other hand, if the dross from molten steel falls into your shoe and
you cannot immediately remove it, then you'll enjoy the experience of a
good, flesh carbonizing, third degree burn, which I hope you will never
experience.

Third-degree burns caused by hot water don't carbonize.

Water can't get that hot, but live steam can. Of course it's more
likely to flay the flesh off your bones before it can carbonize it...

Quote:
Another thing. Once, I was pouring some boiling water into a
cup-o-noodles soup container, the water spilled on my left hand,
turning it bright red. I am sure this was just a first degree burn. It
was red and extremely irritating.

A year later, I was frying tortillas in HOT butter. Some frying-hot
butter fell on my feet! Needless to say, I was stunned for a moment.
The burn on my foot became cold, pale, and moist, it began to give out
fluid [Must have been a superficial 2nd-degree burn]. My skin is
usually brownish yellow since I am of Indian ancestry. The burnt skin
on my foot, however, became albino white [no brown, no black, no
yellow, no red]! Took about a week to completely heal. It then regained
its normal color.

Strangely, the water burn on my hand was so much more debilitating than
the butter burn on my foot! The burn on my foot was sharply painful but
I could ignore it. The burn on my hand, however, was just so irritating
and painful. This is strange. Aren't superficial second-degree burns
supposed to MORE painful than first-degree burns??

Look up the term "heat capacity" and notice that water has a
larger value than fats.

Quote:
It seems the hands and arms are far more irritated by the presence of
thermal burns than the feet and legs.

Look up the relative density of heat and pain receptors on the
various parts of the body.


Mark L. Fergerson
Back to top
Manky Badger
medicine forum Guru Wannabe


Joined: 01 May 2005
Posts: 158

PostPosted: Sun Nov 20, 2005 6:26 pm    Post subject: Re: Interesting Question Regarding A Hypothetical Thermal Injury Reply with quote

"Radium" <glucegen1@excite.com> wrote in message
news:1132363692.129484.324540@z14g2000cwz.googlegroups.com...
Quote:
Hi:

I have a question.

Lets say I was somehow invincibile. Totally physically-invincible to
all injuries excluding flame burns to the skin [and only the skin]
resulting from direct contact with flames. Lets say that the only
molecules affected in my skin were proteins. Lets say that the
denatured proteins in my thermally-injured skin did not coagulate. Lets
say that no inflamatory reaction occured. Lets also say that no
infection occured. In addition, no nerves, blood vessels, sweat glands,
oil glands, lymph nodes, hair roots, dermal muscles [e.g. erector
muscles under hairs], or hairs were directly affected. Lastly, lets
also say that the organic molecules in my skin could not carbonize no
matter how hot. If I suffered a third-degree flame burn [from an
*oxyacetylene* flame], what symptoms would I experience? What color
would my skin change to?

Note: I have no actual application for this question. I am just in it
for the science. I am interested in wierd science and sci-fi.

Any assistance would be appreciated

I still say green
Back to top
Google

Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic Page 1 of 1 [7 Posts] View previous topic :: View next topic
The time now is Thu Jan 08, 2009 1:44 am | All times are GMT
Forum index » Medicine forums » patology
Jump to:  

Similar Topics
Topic Author Forum Replies Last Post
No new posts question about eye exams and what the... bruin70@mail.com vision 0 Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:20 am
No new posts Question about Pupillary Dilation Tes... nickname vision 3 Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:46 pm
No new posts Dumb question about food stryped@hotmail.com nutrition 5 Wed Jul 19, 2006 6:07 pm
No new posts Nicotine question frenchy dentistry 3 Tue Jul 18, 2006 10:00 pm
No new posts Diuretic Question Robert11 cardiology 5 Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:21 pm

Actress | Freelance | Advertising | Loans | Pink Ranger
Copyright © 2004-2005 DeniX Solutions SRL
Other DeniX Solutions sites: electronics forum, Science forum Unix/Linux blog Unix/Linux documentation Unix/Linux forums


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group
[ Time: 0.2193s ][ Queries: 16 (0.1084s) ][ GZIP on - Debug on ]