Experimental simulation in the modern wound ballistics

Abstract

The main medical and biological aspects of conducting experiments in wound ballistics are considered. It is established, that currently in the studies devoted to the study of wound ballistics of firearms ammunition, the method of experimental modeling using simulators of various origins is widely used. A detailed description of the main simulators used by the leading domestic researchers is given now with a reflection of their positive and negative properties. The question of choice of an optimal laboratory animal for the solution of certain problems of ballistic experiment is considered. The world practice of studying the problems of wound ballistics has shown that the organs and tissues of a pig are the closest, of all known animals, to organs and tissues of man in a whole series of morphofunctional properties. The similarity in the structure of organs with a human can in some respects be quite striking, which is used in experimental surgery, especially for studying cardiovascular diseases and in organ transplantation studies. To transfer experimental data from a model (simulator) to a human, it is necessary to observe the main condition of modeling, namely, the principle of similarity of the experimental model to the process that should be reproduced. The problem of use of human corpses and corpse material is reflected, and also attention is paid to a need of observance of ethical rules and norms at carrying out this kind of experiments. It is concluded that despite the extensive list of available materials of non-biological origin, it is not possible to completely abandon the use of laboratory animals and corpse material at this stage of development of science, and their use should be carried out with mandatory compliance with certain norms of ethical and legal nature.