The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-14
MODERN RIFLE BULLETS.
They Make CIean-Cut Wounds That
Are Easily Healed.
From the British Medical Journal

From the British Medical Journal
The modern military small bore rife,
with it's armored bullet with a mantle of
steel. copper or nickel, is the result Of
process of evolution into the details of
which we need not here enter. The reduc-
ton in callber has gone on steadily, and
it is a Question whether the limit has yet
been reached. Italy and Roumania have
adopted a caliber of no more than 256
inch. the American navy is about to be
armed with a rifle of only .203-inch caliber,
and Krulxa and HELLER have obtained bal
listic results with bullet of only .l9S-inch
caliber, which are unapproached by pro-
jectiles of larger size. Practically now the
armies of all civilized nations are armed
with weapons whose callber is under 3l5
inches or nm.
In great measure our knowledge Of the
surgical results of this marked reduction
of caliber is based on theory. or the re-
suits of experiments on the bodies Of men
and animals At all times the character
of bullet wound depends on the weight
form, density and velocity of the projec-
tile and on the hardness or resistance of
the part hit. The comparatively large,
soft bullets of the older and larger bored
rifles, moving at a relatively moderate
velocity. produced wounds with the char
acteT
miliar But the new rifles of reduced cali
Der. increased range, velocity and penetra-
ton, with hard mantled bullets, introduce
new factors of Importance from the surgi-
cal point of view.
The softer and large-bore bullets produce
wounds characterized by broad zone of
devitalized tissue about the point of en-
trance, with a wound canal lacerated by
the easily deformed ball, extensively splin-
tered bones, great explosive action, an
aperture of exit much lacerated and gap
ing widely, and with relatively little hem
orrhage. In the case of direct hits the
action of the new bullets may be summed
up by saying that they produce clean-cut,
slightly lacerated wounds of the soft
parts, exert less explosive action, and
splinter and displace bones less, except at
short ranges. Their wounds offer the best
possible conditions for rapid and perfect
healing, being small, aseptic as a rule.
and clean cut, but prone to bleed freely
and at once.
At long ranges, toward the end of their
flight, these long. thin bullets tend TO
somersault, and by striking sideways, Of
ten produce extensive splintering and COM
minution of bone. Indirect and ricochet
hits with these new and mantled bullets
are especially to be feared, as contact
with any hard substance is sure to split the
mantle. and the naked and deformed bull
let core then acts like the hollow-point
bullets of express rifles. This is a factor
which may cause protective works to lose
much Of their value when attacked by
troops armed with these small caliber
rifles.
The increased explosive action given to
the new bullets by increased velocity is
more than counterbalanced by their les
ser liability TO become deformed; hence
their explosive action is, on the whole,
less marked and less uniformly shown
than that of the older kind. 1t occurs
chiefly in the skull and in connection with
the bones. In respect of this action on
bones, especially long bones, Il is prob
able that experiments made on horses
whose bones are much stronger and more
resistant than those of man, have given
us exaggerated ideas Of the effects of the
small bullets on these tissues, but, even
so, the extensive assuring and comminu-
ton are so severe that considerable ac-
tual experience is needed before we can
be justified in regarding the new arm Of
small calber as in any way minimizing
the horrors of war.