r 31 I'-io TO: F P, C)'.\ Do-pt. Of co'n-Il-lAcllts 0-@l aLl @%,-c!apon Broclii:,7--e suil@j2,--,CT: l@on- Letil Letli,--l We.-ii:)on!l Broci-Lurc, A. B. Rotli, E. 'Lvi. 'IFlectric Current", in N.@iSA- Ci\,- 1205 (1), Washinc@toii, D.C., ic)68. (UC\CL.) ic Haz@ircls in Waltc-!--j C. W. , Electr i-I L -L I Z_L Acadei.-.y of Sciences, Wash-'iac@ton, D. C. 1970. (ji\-,CL, .L W I., -iticil intercsteo b brocl-iure subi-i-iitted 'c)-i i%@r. .ave been n y the The principle 'Of CO!-ILroiled clectrosli2ock can off cr an (,,Efcctive solution to the personnel incapacitation probleii-i. It is uiil'ortunzte that the br hure is in the forn-i o' -.ii adver'isi@ncr pni-npl IE;' 0 C r,--tlicr tl-ipi-i a sc:ienti l'ic presentation. The brochure cives no definite enc,,;ncer;-ncf spec;Lric.%tio-,-is, but we assurie tnat fhas tne follo-,vi-nc, con(@,i-ti-ons in a siiiclc net left and riclht hztlves connected 'Lo 'Li-ie Systern 2 by a 'L-,@,,io co,-id L L L. uctor insulated cable; (2) projection of t'nc net onto 'he sub:ec@ in -@;-.ich -@ way the s@ibieck' ,-%,oLilcl tend to c,-rasp one half of the net each har,e2i and ttkc tl-,c current in an Prn-i-,Lo-ari-n direction (rather 'than i-i,-?pcr body to feet-); (3) five sliocks per second 'Lo be delivered (about 0. joule eich, durz,-tioti of each pulse abc)u'@- 500 rnicroseco,-@cis); and t2he subject is healthy- The soi-t-le%,.,Iiat confusin,(,7, nun-ibers presented witl-i Ficurc A of tile brochure app@--reritly ri-ia'L'-Ie t'nc key assuri-ipl-ion tlizlt tric circuit resistance is 10, 000 olms, Prc@@,ui-ii@tl)2ly incliidii-icy the two series contacts b@--'Lv.,ceii the net and the subject. A Fir.,,Ic concl@ictor sy stc.-n usiiicr the ryrouncl, loo@) \,,-otil(i i7eciiiire t,-.at the shocl-- 2 C-, C, bc)--.: itsolf be t-ioroLi(-,Iily or tl,,e person 'noiclinry tl-,c snockL)o-, v,@c)tilcl be sl-(cl"@ccl iLLst El', severely as tl-ic subjcct. Approve5d for R31easa i-@, correct tllitt cLii-i-c:nts %bcvc ZO r.-lillitmpcl.'Cs %%'ill cause P--Liz-l'lll tctz @l)' of the I--itisclcs tlirouc-,,i V.-I-licl, the cul-relit p,),qscs zilic2i tl-iat iiici;viclual C> slioci@zs of --bc)tit 0. 5 jc')ulc zirc not likely to kill lic@-Ll,tlly people. (R cf. B) l@,i r I;st@-Ltc-.s that he ha2s vc-rified the e'Ll'cctivcnoss @,ricl s,-t'Lcty of the 2-CI)cz;.'Led s h o pulses 1-i-iciitionecl above by @ppropri,-Ltc tests. -1 Sucl-i a result sccn-is reas-oii@ible, but it would be nice to see tl-ic report of his cxp2crin-iental proccdurc. We question the reliability of the net-sliockbox coi-nbi.nZLtion in incp-pc--citation of a. hial-i percentac@c of subjects under fielcl conditions. In order to be effecti-,,c, tct@-Li-iizin,- amounts of current must pass throucfh2 muscles tnat -,vill incz.pacitate the subject. In orCIE-r to cict to 'the muscles, tl-ie current must act 'L.'nroucl-, the skiii somehow. A larcre area of firm contact with s-v-.,e,-t'Ly skin can a resist,-.iice of a few hundred ohms; a small area oL dry contact \%,ith (Rcf. B) ligli'@ pressure can ranae up into millions of ohms. If the not provided two contacts vvitl-i the subject's body, amoui-itinc, to' a series resistance of one Mc oo1ii-i-i or i-i-iore, the shockbox -would have to deliver a volta@,e of 20, 000 volts or hic,'her in order to force the requirecl current tlirouc-,I-i the sl@lin. We doubt that a shockbo:,: of the small dimensions specified by could pro-%,i2cle slch voltaaes and eneraies. What if the subject is v-.,earil-io, a IC.-tthcr jacket, motorcycle helmet and dry leather cloves? What if part of the net hap-)ei-is to cret into the subject's mouth? What keeps the net from shortincr itscl@, ouL'? Why wouldn't a subject wi2th pain'Lully paralyzed ari-ns start to run, the@.-eby brczLI@iiicy contact? En,-Ir:@iiccrinc, details and e.- for c:v@-Lluatioti of this appr1oach. The primary ri-icclic,-l hazard of the systcii-i is the possibility of incluc-in- vertricular fibrillation of the heart. Vciitricular fibrillation is ali-i-iost in- var,ziL)I@, fatal Liiidc:r fic,.Icl con(lillic)lls. If lelcvicc Iii-i-,iLiii- circui'@i-y so tl-.at the ei-ic,,r,,y in c.-Lcli Lricf pul@;c ',\,as lirni-tccl to L'L)c.@'i" 0. 25 joulc-. -Lppliecl liiiicl- to-h@ti-icl, tl-,c risi@. of vclatriculay fibi.-ill,-Ltio--i in i hc;l lti-,y sub-'cct' sliould be iic,-Iifi'ulc. (Rcf. B) If the subject liapl)cnccl to be llclcct:-:cz,2-Ily seriL@,itive" (clue to corontry @-Lrtcry clisc,-.sc -,vitil irrita-blc n-i@L!@er clc%,icc, etc. ) a much si-i-i@-Lllcr shoct,- could lead to unconsciolisness (R cf. C) wit'lii.ii 2sccciicls anci death wit'liin a few rn-iiiutes. sucli P. possibility by notincy that his device should be used on "I-ieal't@lly croo'--@s" onl@,. i%lost youn- people, aside 'ron-i in\7.-tlids, do nof- fall in the "clectric:ally selle.-itivell catecyory. In suri-in-iary, we feel that such a device is not lilzely to cause permanent injury to z,.ii z@,ctivc yo@:,nc, adult sub cc,-, but we cuestion its reliability -@s --ii ii-ica@- staf2f lia-s roucrr-ed pac@ -@tion system under field conditions. Our en(,incerin out a circuit cliaorai-n for a unit that ,@,,oulcl deliver 0. 5 joule uneier the lo'@%- resistance coi-le-itioiis assumed by We will be 1-i,-Lppy to provi(@e a copy of this diacrr7-am or con-in-ici-its on E@iiy other points t"n@-Lt you may request.