New-York tribune., 1900-04-15
u4CSER BULLET BCRSS.
From The British Medical Journal

From The British Medical journal
\ curious case Of possible burn from bullet
was shown in L wound received by a corporal IN
the Queens Regiment The bullet. possibly 4
spent one, had struck the shaft of the ubia Close
to the crest tTanSvcrSely, and apparently had
drilled the bone There was a little irregUaTjly
of the bone and 4 fragment may have been dis
placed. Close to the exit wound was a mark
sembling a burn the extent and shape Of a buI-
let. The patients account was that he had fell
himself hit and felt something burning his leg
ON removing the puttie the bullet was found iy
ing underneath II. The man stated Ihat II vas
red hot" a perhaps paTdOnaOle eNaggerat0l.
The bullet at any rate. was too hot to hold IL
the hand without pain The bullet was not
riCOchet in appearance Another patient gave
somewhat similar account In this instance ile
bullet entered one men 10 Jhe rlSht Side OF l-r
eighth dOTSaI spine, and made its exit three
inches below the Clavicle on the same side with
out traversing the thOracic cavity. The bullet
dropped inside the shirt and burned the szin
The bullet was found inside the clothes a day "
two later. Such accounts have 20 ne received
with certain amount Of caution. but Gnd0uo,-
edly the mark on the skin or Lht abdomen III
resemble a burn
1t is often supposed popularity that the temper
ature of bullets is greatly raised by the friction
of the air. The supposiJIOn does not seem 10 TEST
on an experimental basis Arrest OF movement
would develop heat, OF course but the prodlslous
range Of the small bore bullet shows mat tlr
friction is exceedingly slight Markers at rl1e
butts are familiar with the facJ that ricochel
shots (which are recognized by The peculiar nun
they make III passing through the ar. ana Whita
often fall dead by the shelters OF drop back o.
the targeO. If picked mp al once are warm OF
even hot: but in such cases the movement has
been violently arrested 1t is possible that some
heat might be developed by The arrest 0f tn
bullet by the clothing. but in such a case tae
missile cannot have been travelling W!tn any
great velocity. riCOchet shot loses the SPIN
in its longitudinal AXIS that it acquires IN pass
ing through the rile1 barrel. but as II Sia--S
off after the impact IL may reVolve On 4 trans
verse axis turning over and over IN us hgh-
1t is, therefore. unlikely To make the snla!
wounds of entrance and exit CE3r1cteTlSllt ol
the perfect small bore bullet Moreover the
nickel sheath Of the bullet Will probably spH'
up as the bullet strikes the earth and bounds up
OF glanCeS from IL
1t is occasionally stated that the cicatric2i
cord resulting from the passage Of a small blIe
bullet through soft tissues iS due 70 the Cauief.L-
ing action OF the bullet Such view IS harGl
to be taken seriously The CjcaJrix reSemhirS
no doubt that which might be caused by paSsln5
a thick galvanic wire through the tissues anu
then raising il to n temperature SufnCleht
burn the tissues. But the CiCaJrlX Of bul.''
wound is not produced in that way The Ve"N
ity with which il passes throuSh the 'ls 'lsS-'S
is too great 10 allow time for any CauteTiz"s
action, even II the bullet were at white hea~