Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-11-25
NO. 274.
ACCIDENTS FROM FIREARMS.

Having recently visited terrible case
of fatal injury by the incautious handling
of fowling-piece. have determined to
carry out a purpose. long contemplated,
but too long neglected, of giving q eau
ton, Justified by long experience, } in re-
gard to the imprudent use of bird guns. 1
suppose that in fifty years. extensive sur
gical practice have seen more than two
hundred cases of death or mutilation from
the incautious use Of bird guns, one oc-
curing in my own family. These acci-
dents are ten-fold more numerous than
they were when the old fint-lock was in
use, and in almost every case attributable
to the practice of allowing the hammer,
| when the gun is loaded, to rest on the
cap. If the spring of the lock be strong
one, it presses with almost force enough
to fire the cap without any shock, es-
pecially when the gun is heated by re-
peated firing. If the gun be Jared in any
manner the cap is percussed and the gun
fires. II the breach of the gun be brought
suddenly to the ground, it is fred by the
shock, and the muzzle is then presented
toward the body of tho sufferer. l have
known in several instances the gunner, in
climbing over fence, to swing his gun
over and strike the ground with the
breech, firing the gun by the shock and
blowing his hand to pieces.
In many instances l have known the
gun to be fired and the right hand to be
destroyed by ramming down charge in
| one barrel when the other was loaded, the
shock of the rammer being sufficient to
percuss the cap when the gun is heated.
Many will remember the case of respec-
table gentleman of this city who lost his
right hand not long since in this manner.
This is an argument in faver of single
barrels, also of breech-loaders.
If gun be leaned against wall, table
or chair, and it slips and falls, the ham,
mer being attached to the heaviest part of
the gun, will turn and strike the floor. fir
ing the gun, as in the case that have
just come from seeing.
have known in severel instances fatal
injury to person carrying gun on his
shoulder, safely enough, one would think
but he lets 60 his gun for an instant to use
his hand for some other purpose, the gun
slips forward, revolving as it falls. and
strikes the ground with the hammer, the
gun firing invariably toward the body.
The dangerous practice Of using pocket
pistols is the cause of many a death. /
have known person to have pistol fa-
tally fired in his pocket by person play
fully throwing pebble at him. have
known another instance in which the pis-
tol was fired by the heat Of fire before
which the sufferer was sitting; another in
which pistol was fired by dropping on
the floor from the pocket of gentleman,
and sending the bullet through his foot.
But the most common and fatal injury
observed in my prctice has been caused
by the gunner passing through thicket
or fence, seizing the muzzle of the gun
and dragging it through after him. A
twig on rail of the fence touches the
hammer, raises it, and lets it slip with
force enough to fire the cap. l am well
aware that very important improvement
has been made in gunlocks. which does
not allow the hammer to rest on the cap.
But this does not wholly obviate the dan
ger. nor are they in general use, as they
should be.
1t the following rules were strictly OBJ
served accidents from firearms would
scarcely ever occur: First. never cap the
gun till You are in the field; second, never
allow the gun to point towards yourself or
anyone else; third. never bring home
loaded piece; fourth, never allow the ham,
mer to rest on the cap; fifth, never shoot.
especially with boys; and finally, never
keep loaded gun in your house. The
danger from it greater than from robbers.
Cor. Sun.