U. S. Gardner explosive bullet, note 33, p. 64. Op. cit., Part 3, chap. xii. p. 702. The specimen from which the drawing of the exploded bullet has been taken is No. 456 in the U. S. Army Medical Museum. Small shot, note 34, p. 65. The various kinds of shot used for fowling purposes are shown in 22 glass tubes in the Museum of Military Surgery at Netley. See case No. 594. Projectile air in wounds, note 35, p. 70. The case alluded to was described, in a work on 'Wounds of the Chest,' as a 'penetrating wound without injury to lung,' and was adduced to prove that a wound of the chest in which the lung is uninjured may be attended by traumatic emphysema. Mr. T. Holmes of St. George's Hospital, who attended the patient, informed me that the pleural cavity in the case was quite intact. See also Holmes's 'System of Surgery,' 3rd edit., vol. i. p. 521. SECTION II CAUSES WHICH INFLUENCE GUNSHOT INJURIES Shapes of bullets, note 1, p. 74. Preps. Nos. 2926в and 2926d. See Descriptive Catalogue of the Pathological Specimens in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, pp. 92, 93. Deformed bullets, note 2, p. 78. The Museum of Military Surgery at Netley contains many examples of the strange shapes presented by deformed bullets extracted from wounds. Admirable drawings of such bullets may be seen in the beautiful atlas of plates accompanying Dr. Chenu's 'Med. Chir. Statistics of the Campaign of Italy in 1859-60.' Lorenz steel-armoured bullets, note 3, p. 81. Ueber die Wirkung Moderner Gewehrprojectile insbesondere der Lorenz'schen verschmolzenen panzer-geschosse auf den Thierischen Körper, von Dr. B. von Beck, Generalarzt des xiv armee corps ; Leipzig, Von Vogel, 1885. Muzzle velocity of M.-H. bullet, note 4, p. 82. See Treatise on Military Small Arms,' p. 19. Volumes of bullets, note 5, p. 85. Weights and volumetric measurements taken in the Laboratory of the Army Medical School in March 1892. Russian bullets, note 6, p. 88. The heaviest Russian bullet, from the Crimea, in the collection of the Army Medical Museum at Netley, is a solid, ogival-topped rifle bullet with two cannelures, weighing 772 grains. Minié rifle bullet, note 7, p. 89. The large size and weight of this projectile seem to have been due to the influence of the Duke of Wellington. It is stated in his Life by G. R. Gleig, Chaplain-General (London, 1864, p. 397), that when the 'Minié' musket was introduced, 'the one point to which the Duke adhered was, that the old bore should be retained: partly because the greater size of the English bullet had rendered it more effective than any other in former wars; partly because, in the event of the stock of conical bullets running short, the troops, in case of emergency, would be able to use the musket cartridges which were already in store.' The Duke also had a suspicion that the rifle might not answer in the hands of our troops as well as the musket had done. Bullet impressed by canvas, note 8, p. 91. The bullet figured in the text has been deposited in the Museum of the School of Musketry. Velocity and kinetic energy of bullets in motion, note 9, p. 97. The term velocity as applied to a shot in transit signifies the rate of its movement in a given space of time, and is usually in England expressed by the number of feet through which it would travel in a second of time, supposing its movement to be uniform. Thus if the initial velocity of a bullet is stated to be 2000 feet in a second, what is implied is that if the same rapidity of movement that it has at the given instant of quitting the muzzle of the weapon were continued in air for one second of time, the distance it would travel in that second would be 2000 feet. The quantity of motion in a moving shot is spoken of as its momentum, and is represented by the product of its mass multiplied by its velocity. If two shot are travelling at the same rate of speed, but the mass of one as represented by its weight is double that of the other, then the momentum of the heavier bullet is double that of the lighter bullet. Or if two shot of equal weight are moving at the same time, but the velocity of one is double that of the other, then equally the momentum of the faster bullet would be double that of the slower bullet. The ordinary symbol for momentum is MV, in which M stands for mass, and V for velocity. W g' The kinetic energy, vis viva, or mechanical power of a projectile increases as the square of the velocity; it is expressed by MV2. Or as the weight of a projectile is really its mass multiplied by the force of gravity, so its mass is its weight divided by the force of gravity; in which g stands for gravity, may therefore be substituted for M. So the formula for ascertaining the vis vivâ of a projectile may be WV2, This will represent the mechanical power of a bullet in motion, or, as it were, the force contained in it, and consequently the amount of damage capable of being done by it, relatively to other bullets. g WV2 = WV2 When a bullet in its flight strikes a body, it has a certain amount of vis vivá at the instant of striking. Supposing the projectile penetrates and comes to a stop, or lodges, in that body, it has expended its kinetic energy in accomplishing this result. As it commenced its penetration with an energy and finished its course with none remaining, or O, the mean of these two conditions is taken to express the quantity of energy expended, or the work done, viz., This formula then expresses the force expended by the projectile in overcoming the resistance opposed to it in penetrating and effecting its lodgment. It does not follow that this formula will express its power of penetration, or penetrative energy, as compared with other bullets of the same weight and armed with the same velocity; for in estimating power of penetration certain physical conditions have to be taken into account, such as the figure, dimensions, hardness, &c., of projectiles. WV2 Muzzle velocity of bullets, note 10, p. 99. Lecture on Magazine Rifles,' by Captain James, late R.E., Royal U. S. Institution Journal, June 1892. Velocity and mechanical power, note 11, p. 101. "Treatise on Military Small Arms and Ammunition,' compiled at the School of Musketry, 1888. Effects of velocity of bullets, note 12, p. 102. John Hunter's Works. Part iv. of 'Gunshot Wounds,' chap. i., § 1, par. 5. Primary healing of bullet wounds, note 13, p. 103. After the remarks in the text on this subject were written, Professor Esmarch was kind enough to send me his essay, entitled Die antiseptische Wundbehandlung in der Kriegschirurgie. In this paper, Dr. Esmarch speaks of most severe gunshot wounds healing by simple primary union, without any suppuration, before the introduction of Lister's antiseptic treatment. He refers to such wounds as severe gunshot fractures of the thigh and perforating wounds of joints healing like subcutaneous wounds, without suppuration (ohne Eiterung, wie subcutane Wunden '), not only in his own experience, but also in the experience of many other eminent German surgeons. In some portions of the remarks, however, similar cases are referred to as having healed almost without suppuration ('fast ohne Eiterung), and it seems doubtful whether this qualifying expression may not have been applicable to all the cases referred to. If, however, the observations regarding the grave and complicated wounds mentioned as having healed without any suppuration are to be taken literally, I can only regard them as very exceptional cases. Terminal velocity, note 14, p. 106. Under the circumstances described in the text, a bullet, in ascending, has to overcome the attraction of gravitation, together with the resistance of the air; in descending from its point of momentary rest, it is drawn downwards, and its speed accelerated, by the influence of gravitation. But, while descending, the air still acts as an opponent to its downward progress, and, according to experts in ballistics, it so acts that at a certain point in the descent the velocity attainable by the falling projectile through gravitation is balanced by it. From this point no further acceleration takes place, and if the remainder of the column of air were equally dense throughout, the velocity of the bullet for the rest of its fall would be at a uniform rate. The velocity which has been acquired by the falling bullet at the time of its reaching the point where its velocity is counterbalanced by the resistance of the air is described as its terminal velocity. Spent shot, note 15, p. 107. A private of the 20th Regiment was admitted as an invalid into Fort Pitt in September 1859. He had been struck a year before, near Lucknow, by a spent gunshot, about 2 inches above the external malleolus of the right leg. Simple fracture of both the fibula and tibia resulted. Union of the two bones was completed without sloughing or ulceration of the soft parts. The soldier was discharged from further service on account of impaired marching power, owing to deformity which had been allowed to occur during the process of repair. Spent shot, note 16, p. 108. La Guerre de Crimée, par L. Baudens, 1858, p. 124. Effects of rotation on penetration, note 17, p. 111. One of the most remarkable instances that I am acquainted with of a spherical bullet being deflected by a yielding surface is the following, which was related to me by my friend Colonel Onslow. One day, about the year 1833, when the 54th Foot, under Colonel Mildmay Fane, were assembling for parade at Trichinopoly, a soldier stepped up to Lieut.-Colonel Reed, the second in command, and made a request to him. This officer was on horseback, and had in his hand a ratan cane, about the thickness of a little finger, which he was moving up and down in front of his face. Colonel Reed's reply to the man was to the effect that he ought to make his request through the captain of his company. The soldier, remarking, 'Oh! that's it, is it? immediately levelled his musket at Colonel Reed and fired. The bullet happened to strike the cane in front of his face, ran up it, and was thus diverted from hitting its intended object. Colonel Reed's life was saved by this slight obstacle, for the shot was in a direct line for his head. The soldier was condemned to death, and was executed. Colonel Onslow, who was on the man's court-martial, informed me that the cane retained the mark where the bullet had struck it, from which point it was split up to the top. Rotation of rifle projectiles, note 18, p. 112. Major Owen, Professor of Artillery at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, states in the course of some remarks on the motion of projectiles: 'There is no doubt but that the rotatory motion of a projectile fired from a rifled gun greatly increases the penetration;' and again, 'Velocity of rotation increases penetration.'-Royal United Service Institution Journal, vol. vi. pp. 231-233. Effect of rotation after entering the body, note 19, p. 113. An officer of the 33rd Regiment was wounded in the trenches before Sebastopol, in the abdomen. There was an opening of exit in the back at a point precisely opposite to the abdominal opening in front. He was told his wound was a mortal one, but he had an instinctive conviction from the first that it was not, and so he maintained. The subsequent progress of the case proved the patient's diagnosis to be correct, and the surgeon's wrong. The bullet had not penetrated the cavity, but had coursed round it outside. Rotation of spherical bullets, note 20, p. 115. Percy, Dupuytren, Baudens, and others refer the conical shapes of bullet tracks to the special cause named in the text. Baudens gives the same explanation as Percy: The bottom of the wound is larger than the wound of entrance, owing to the persistence of the movement of rotation, which lasts longer than the movement of projection.'--Clinique des Plaies d'Armes à Feu, par M. L. Baudens, &c., Paris, 1836, p. 17. Lead melting from quickness of flight, note 21, p. 119. 'Stridentem fundam, positis Mezentius hastis, 'Balearica plumbum Ovid, Met., ii. 730-732. Baron Percy also quotes the following passage from Lucretius (lib. vi.), in illustration of the fact that the Roman slingers used leaden bullets in their slings, and that they threw them with such force as to cause the lead to be sometimes melted owing to its rapid flight through the air : 'Plumbea verò Glans etiam in longo cursu volvenda liquescit.' Manuel du Chirurgien d'Armée, par M. Percy, Heat of bullets, note 22, p. 119. Gale argues the point in the following terms: 'But that you shall perfectlye understande and be judge your selfe in this case. Hange a bagge full of gonnepouder on a place convenient, and then stand so far off as your peece will shote leavell, and shute at the same, and you shall see the gonnepouder to bee no moore set on fyre with the heate of the stone, than if you caste a colde stone at it.'-Gale, op. cit., p. 6. It is curious that a namesake of Gale has in our own time lessened the value of this proof by showing that although the gunpowder is not fired, it is not a complete proof that it results from the shot being destitute of heat; for Mr. Gale has put even red-hot iron into gunpowder without it being 'set on fyre.' |