Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge:systematic review

[sl8]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC300808/#__ffn_sectitle

Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma related to gravitational challenge: systematic review of randomised controlled trials

Gordon C S Smith, professor and Jill P Pell, consultant

Abstract

Objectives To determine whether parachutes are effective in preventing major trauma related to gravitational challenge.

Design Systematic review of randomised controlled trials.

Data sources: Medline, Web of Science, Embase, and the Cochrane Library databases; appropriate internet sites and citation lists.

Study selection: Studies showing the effects of using a parachute during free fall.

[...]

Notes

Contributors: GCSS had the original idea. JPP tried to talk him out of it. JPP did the first literature search but GCSS lost it. GCSS drafted the manuscript but JPP deleted all the best jokes. GCSS is the guarantor, and JPP says it serves him right.

Funding: None.

Competing interests: None declared.

Ethical approval: Not required.

[quaint]

1. Results We were unable to identify any randomised controlled trials of parachute intervention.

[Lettuce Be]

2. Whoa, this is awesome. Thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Haven't had such a good time in awhile, so thanks for passing this gem along.

[ret5hd]

3. I'm drawing up a list of potential volunteers...

as we speak!!! I will submit this list next week at the latest.

Note: neither I nor anybody I like is on the list. But I suggest ya’ll be a LITTLE nicer to me for a while.

[jmowreader]

4. The best line

"The relevance to parachute use is that individuals jumping from aircraft without the help of a parachute are likely to have a high prevalence of pre-existing psychiatric morbidity."

[malthaussen]

5. Reminds me a bit of the Asimov classic...

..."The Endochronic Properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline," the substance that starts dissolving before it hits the water.

He wrote that one in grad school as a spoof, because he'd been reading 'way too many papers. Naturally, Campbell published it in "Astounding."
The when Asimov was defending his dissertation, the last question he was asked was to explain the properties of Resublimated Thiotimoline. Proving that even profs had a sense of humor in 1948 (and that they were reading sci-fi).

He went on to write two more stories about the stuff, because hey, it was a proven winner.

-- Mal

[malthaussen]

6. The RAF refused to issue parachutes to pilots in WWI.

The belief was that it would make them cowards. They lost a lot of good fighter pilots that way, whereas the Germans, who started handing out 'chutes as soon as they were in production, were able to preserve a good few who got better and better.

Just sit there for a minute and savor the callous brutality that would withhold a life-saving device from a fighter because you want them to be brave.

-- Mal

[Iggo]

7. I can't imagine describing anyone who piloted a WWI fighter plane as anything but brave.