The daily gazette., 1882-01-21
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4 AA@MN
Marvellously fortunate escapes fren
gunshet injuries have been recorded,
Bullets have bssn known to rebound
oE glance on the skin, lsaviag only Q
dent, probably from the obliauo di-
rsetion in which they struck; spsnt
ball strikes rib and dr0pa ont again,
or carries In portion OF the clothing
before it rendering u easy TO with
draw. Sir Astly Cooper relates two
extraordinary instances, In one Of
which bullet moving with full veloci-
ty entered the side and, comilR In
contact with q rib, was detected from
its course, and ran around under the
skin 20 the opposite side Of She body,
La the other, the bullet struck one
temple, passed over the head under
the scalp, TO the other, and never
penetrated the skull at all.
The following ease occurred In the
practice of an eminent surgeon, whose
pupil was. A man was brought to
him wk0 had shot himself IN the side
OF the head With pistol with suicidal
intent. he was said to have he'd the
weapon only an ineh or two from his
ear, aGd the extensive burning and
laceration Of tbs akin bore evidence TO
the truth OF this statement; there was
ragged bullet hole; nevertheless, no
fracture Of the bone could be d6teoted.
and there was an entire absence OF
''heada symptoms''--that 10, those M
dicati0ps which point to some leaion
Of the brain. 30 he was put to bed
and kept quiet, without any. treatment
at .,all beyond simple local applica.
tions, carefully watched the while for
any outward manifestations that
might develop themselves. But n0th-
ing came Of 10, and Id . week or two
the man was nearly well. Then, for
tho hrBt time, he complained of pain
and stiffness In the cheek, which,
being examined, showed aigua of inn
pending abscsss. This formed and
was opened 10 due course, when out
dropped the bullet. Nov, how was
this 70 be accounted for At the side
Of the head 10 an arch Of bone. known
technically ~ the sN0onss: it may be
seen In the akulla Of animals, and
serves TO protsct and strengthen the
hinge Of the jaw, as 1t were. The
bullet, meeting the hard upper edge Of
this arch-thsre was Q mark on the
bullet caused probably by the bone
was turned suddenly downward ri
right angles, and lodged In the thin
muscles OF the upper part ef the cheek.
But this never wonld have occurred
If . great disproportion had not ex-
isted between the calibre Of the pistol
barrel--an old-fashioned cavalry blum
derbuss, and the size Of the ball,
which allowed much Of the powders
force TO be expended around IL.
IL is q well-known fact that bullets,
coins and other metalIc objects will oc-
easloDally remain impacted In The flesh
for years, without giving rise to any ir-
ritatlon or annoyance. In case which
came under my notice In LoHdon sew
erai years sfnce, Q ball had undoubted
Into chest, and 10 undoubtedly thers 10
this day; yet the patient recovered With
out any bad symptoms, and 10 still alive
aud we'll.
Two Gsrmen studsnts, being in love
or In debt, but Ia any case la despair
and wearted Of the world, agreed TO put
40 end to their troubles By shooting
each other through the heart simultan-
eouAly. So much was gained from
paper signed by both OF them, found on
their table when the police, slarmed by
the double explosion, broke Into the
room where they lay on the floor, ,welter-
Ing in their blood, one Q corpse and the
ether desperately wounded. Bot when
the latter recovered sufficiently to speak,
be emphatlcAlly denied the truth OF the
allegation that he had murdered bis
ccmrade, and stated, that though he
had signed the paper he had repented
Of bis LIBERALIZATION at Lhe last moment;
not 30 bis friend, however, who, ssizing
both pistols, had shot him In the breast
and then killed himself after ward, A
verdict Of wilIful murder was produced
against him by = c0roneT's jury; but
when be vas put upon bis trial, after .
long and dangerous illness, he was al
lowed the benefit of the doubt--a deci-
sion ct which no one will cavil much.
Hennen states that be has seen ave
cases In which bullets we're lodged with
In the eknll and did not prove immsd-
ia.ely atal;Cunningham speaks of . boy
who survived for twenty-four days with
the bresch of apistol, weighing nine
drAchms, In bis head lying % one Of the
membranes Of bis brain, and resting
against the cavity of the oeeiput; while
DIR. OCallahn has recorded Q remarka-
bic case of an oEieer who lived seven
years with the breech OF fowling-pisc CO
three ounces in weight, lodged In his
forehead, and actually supporting the
right hemisphere Of the brain.--ChGia-
kerss JoWrndI.