View source for Effects of electric shock to the human body

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== Heart -  the most vulnerable organ ==

The most critical organ in the case of electric shock is the heart. Those with any heart problems are more vulnerable. The current passing through the body can produce physiological damage, or trauma<ref>The Institution of Engineering and Technology Power and Energy Volume 19 Electrical safety: a guide to causes and prevention of hazards by J. Maxwell Adams, 1994</ref>. There is the possibility of skin burns and [https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002266.htm necrosis] of the underlying tissue. The degree of burning will depend upon the energy at the point of contact and its duration. That is to say 

:: <math>I^2 \times R \times t</math> or <math>{\left ( {E^2 \over R} \right ) } \times t</math>

where: 
:: <math>I</math> is the current flowing, 
:: <math>R</math> is the resistance at the point or area of contact, and 
:: <math>E</math> is not the source voltage, but the drop in voltage between the live conductor and the surface of the body.


With a very dry skin, a high voltage shock could produce a severe burn without necessarily electrocuting the victim. A lower voltage applied to a wet or sweaty skin could, however, cause death without any evidence of burning, particularly if the path of the current is across the chest. For obvious reasons most deaths due to electricity occur at consumer voltages and in these cases the only visible injury is typically a slight discoloring of the skin where a live part has been grasped.

== Engineering Explanation ==
The human body [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/what-percentage-of-the-human-body-is-water contains about 60% water], in effect a tank of electrolyte, the tank itself is the skin having a relatively high ohmic resistance. Most of the burning will therefore be generated on the surface of the body at the point of contact.

Skin resistance can normally only be deduced on a live subject from the overall resistance between two places where the electric current enters and leaves the body. Tests have shown that this value can range from a few hundred ohm to several thousand ohm. It is also found that the resistance is far higher at low voltages. Electrical safety is therefore greatly enhanced by reducing the source potential, since the current flowing will be more than proportional to the applied voltage.

With any electric shock, the greatest internal current density will generally be along the shortest path between the two areas of contact — most frequently between one hand and the feet or between the two hands. The density will be greatest in the immediate vicinity of the point of contact and the current may destroy tissue under what appears to be a superficial skin burn. Careful medical attention is necessary here, since a life-threatening infarct may subsequently arise, i.e. an area of dead tissue due to the blocking of the bloodstream which normally nourishes it.

== Trauma of the brain ==
The second type of trauma is by paralysis of the breathing center of the brain.

This could leads to de-oxygenation of the blood and  is equivalent to suffocation. In  this  condition  the  pulse  may  also  be irregular,  feeble  or  nonexistent.

It  is vitally  important  that  some  form  of  resuscitation  is applied.  Movement of  the lungs  will also  provide  a  massaging effect  on  the  heart  encouraging  it  to beat correctly.  Patients who have been rendered lifeless by an  electric shock can often  be  revived  by  artificial  respiration  which  should  be  applied  as quickly  as possible and  maintained for nee less than an hour before the case can be regarded as  hopeless.   Any  method  is  better  than  none  since  even  minor  amounts  of cardiopulmonary  activity  can  be  sufficient  to  sustain  life.

== Other types of trauma ==
The  other types of trauma concern  the heart itself and  are  therefore likely to be lethal unless some sort of pulse can be rapidly  restored.

Failure of the  heart to deliver  oxygenated  blood  to  the head  will  result  in irreversible  brain  damage and  then  death  within  a  very short  time.  One  cannot  survive  more  than  a  few minutes if the  brain is deprived of arterial blood.

==References==
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