The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-19
wOUNDING INSTEAD OF KILLING
Effects of the Use of "Humnne" Bull
lets by the British Army.
From Tit-Bit.


In modern warfare 1t is not necessary.
theoretically. to kill. the object being
among civilized nations 10 place antag-
onists hors de combat. The memorable
struggle between the Russians and Turks
in 1877 was the last occasion on which two
great powers met in conflict.
Since that time the armies of most Of
the great nations have been armed with
new kind of magazine rifle. This wea-
pom has a greatly reduced barrel calibre
besides possessing the advantage of be
ing enabled to pour number of shots
rapidly at a critical moment The recent
campaign in Chttral, and "a few cases Of
accidents which have occurred on or near
rifle ranges, go to prove that in future
wars the wounds Inflicted will be of a
mitigated nature.
The various properties of the Lee-Met-
ford missile, which are likely TO affect
the character of wounds produced by the
humane bullet are its smaller size and
lighter weight, compared with the pro-
jectile OF the Snider and the Martini
rifles.
This will result, as the limited expert
ence gained tends to show, in a cleaner
cut wound much smaller in size and with
very little obstruction of the parts of the
body traVefsed by the bullet. The shock
to the system is also diminished, and
the wound is not hampered in its healing
by the lodgment of the ball.
Such are the considerations from
humane point of view which have caused
England, in conjunction with other ma
tions, to adopt this modern weapon
man at Aldefshot, some years ago,
was struck by a ricOcheted bullet from
the O.303 magazine rifle at about a mile
and a half from tho target The missile
struck him in the right thigh, passing
through and out at the back. lie said
that when stuck 1t merely felt as If he
had been pricked through the skin with
a penknife The wound looked as If a
thin-bladed knife had been thrust into
the flesh. There was no nemorrhage
from 1t. and 1t caused him only slight
pain. Twenty-four days after the injury
the man could walk we'll again, and was
discharged from the hospital A Mar
TIM or Snider ball, from weapons used by
our volunteer forces, striking in SIM
liar situation would have shocked the
system and shattered the bones to such
an extent as to disable the man for many
months, If not for life.
A man employed at Woolwich arsenal
was struck by a bullet fired at only 100
yards from him. The ball passed COM
plStely through the upper end of the thigh,
and did not cause MIN to fan. Under
antiseptic treatment the wQurd healed
rapidly, and the mann was discharged to
duty thirty-two days after The per cent
age of deaths among the wounded Chitra-
lese in the recent campaign under Gen.
Lockhart, was very low compared with
the number put out of action in conse-
quence of wounds.
Men who have been shot through the
chest were still able to use their weapons
when the Highlanders and Gurkhas at
tackled them at the point of the bayonet
one man had been shot longitudinally
through the forearm, the bullet coming
out between the second and third fingers
Another noticeable case was that of a
man who had been shot three times
through the legs, and was then able to get
away.