The Washington times., 1901-09-17
MODERN GUNSHOT WOUNDS
War Department Bureaus Study.
ing the Effect of Bullets.
Some Light Thrown ON the Presi-
dents Case-LessOns From the War
In south Observation-Disclosures of
New Methods of Treatment.

|
dents Case-Lessons From the War
In south Africa-EHectivenes oi
New Methods of Treatment
The bureaus of the War Department
are in possession of some very interesting
| facts relating to the mortality of bullet
wounds under modern conditions q treat
ment, which throw some indirect light
| on the subject. 1t should, of course. be
| borne in mind that any arm fired at very
| short range has an explosive effect. not
| that it does explode, but that the jar ii
| gives the substance into which 1t enters
| resembles that produced by an explosion.
Tests of firing into a tin can filed with
| various substances at short range reveal
| that. But aside from this short-range
| explosive jar. the hand pistol Is a much
I less dangerous weapon than the rifles
1 of modern warfare. 1t Is not believed
| that the bullets which entered the Presi-
| dent had muzzle velocity of more than
| $50 feet whereas the velocity of the small
I er arms used in warfare is from three to
| four times as great Hence in COM
| pairing bullet effects observed in large
numbers of cases in the surgical hospi-
| tails with what may be expected of Buff
| falo. it will be seen that there is much
I
| favor.
| The war in South Africa has furnished
| vast amount of interesting surgical ex-
perience, showing the effect of modern
arms and of antiseptfc methods in the
| hospitals. While it is too early to draw
deductions from the statistics of the war,
| 1t is worthy of note that when the rec
ords were kept of IL, ,637 officers and men
who had been wounded. only 732 died of
wounds received in action. This small
mortauIy is attributed to the prompt ap-
plication of a first-aid dressing, but in
| respect to promptness, the Presidents
treatment far exceeds anything that was
possible in a battle hospital The action
of the Mauser bullet upon human tissues
depends upon the range at which il is
hred. Within 200 yards II has an explo-
sire character. The nickel case seems to
expand and became detached. causing a
severe, lacerated. and confused wound
which heals very slowly. If it strikes q
Done 1t crushes and destroys 1t. If fired
at longer range IT makes clean drilled
mole through bone. while If it strikes
wound is made. there being but little DIFF
ference between the place of entrance of
the bullet and it's exit, which bleed but
little, unless an important vessel is in
jured.
1t is remarkable how few amputations
have been performed during the Eoer war.
Or. Kendall Franks has reported that in
MS experience not more than twenty am
putations had occurred in 500, cases,
which is attributed to the conservative
spirit of piesent-day surgery. Or. Ster-
ling Ryerson relates that he saw at Kim
berley 147 wounded Beers in a roller rink,
which had been converted into tenn
porary hospital. They were of all ages,
from fifteen to sixty-five. They had been
wounded at Paardeburg, and in many
cases the wounds had been undressed' for
from hfteen TO seventeen days. He tells
OF one man who had been shot through
the elbow joint and whose only treatment
had been the universal Boer remedy, to-
bacco Juice. The arm was enormously
swollen and almost erysipeiatous in ap-
the case in hand with modern methods
with the result that the man made an
excellent recovery retaining even the
power to move his arm at the joint. An
other man whose case is some ewlat nota-
BILE was shot through the body by round
ball from a shrapnel shell. The projectile
entered four inches below the heart,
somewhat to the left, and came out
through the sixth intercostal space on
the right side and posteriorly. He had
been wounded sixteen days before, but at
practically no symptoms, which is re-
markable, in view of the nature of the
missile. DIR. Ryerson relates that he has
seen good many penetrating wounds of
the abdomen which have produced little
immediate disturbance One was the case
OF medical officer who was shot through
the stomach. He had had little to eat
for twelve hours before he was wounded. |
and whsn that occurred he had the good
sense 10 abstain from drinking. although |
very thirsty. He lay on the battlefield |
for twelve hours. and yet made an excel |
lent recovery. The surgeon relates that |
three months afterward although his |
wound was healed he complained of q |
dragging sensation in the neighborhood |
of the injury, and was eventually sent |
home an invalid. Two of his companions |
who had been shot through the abdomen |
in much the same way drank water, and |
died from peritonitis; but this may have |
been dIe ,. the doctor thinks, to the filth |
mess of the water.
1t is understood to be the experience of |
the surgeons in South Africa that what |
is known the abdominal section IN |
wounds of the intestines was inadvisable. |
Altogether wounds show a surprising ten |
dency to heal rapidly. even under the |
most trying circumstances. If antiseptic |
treatment is early applied.
Many passages in other reports on sur
gical experiences in the South African !
war. while interesting. deal with other 4
parts of the body, and so do not have |
even an indirect relation to the Presi- /
dents case. These might to advantage, |
Gates of war. The surgeons s story Of how !
he treated wounds of the head involving |
destruction of brain tissues, especially of |
young and innocent boys. is most impress |
sive. Wounds of the eye were of frequent |
occurrence, the reports describing a case |
in which both eyes were lost the bullet |
passing through the orbit and cutting the |
optic nerves. But this chapter on bullets |
makes most unpleasant reading
Some discussion is here given as to the |
possibility of better supervision of con-
cealed firearms. To be effective. such q |
movement would have to be national in |
Its scope and the customs ms'inspection SER
vice on the border-line and at the ports
of entry would have to make careful scru-
tiny of arrivals. In the city OF Washing
ton today any person who purchases a
pistol must leave with the merchant his
name and address but there is no way of
that he gives his real name and
so the formality is of only remote useful
ness Something approaching a permis-
sion or license to carry concealed fire |
arms. IL is believed by some people, would
be beneficial. not only as a preventive of
but for a generally whole |
some effect on the community. That far
too many pistols are owned and carried !
by all classes of people seems to he gen
orally ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS York Evening