Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-06-28

ShlmoSe O10 Tofftb1e damage.
There has been much debate on the
question - to whether the projectiles
which caused so many casualties among
the crew of the Russian cruiser, Variag,
loft Chemulpho at the outbreak of the
war were shrapnel or high explosive
shells. The Russians are divided in
opinion. The French and Italian officers
aboard the cruisers Pascal and Elba are
of the opinion that little II any shrapnel
aboard the Talbot think that most OF the
havoc was due to shrapnel.
DR.. Wada, Staff Surgeon OF the Japa-
nese Navy, has given correspondent
the following details in regard 10 shi-
NOSE, the secret explosive used by the
Japanese. DIR. Wada had twenty-four OF
| the worst cases after they had been
aboard the Pascal for four days and
where most of the fragments had already
been extracted. He extracted some
more Fragments, all of which he said
were undoubtedly parts of high ex-
plosive Shells
The doctor showed . parcel containing
fragments extracted by one man. The
largest piece was two inches long and
half an inch wide at the greatest point.
1t was shaped like an arrow. The next
two pieces were about the size OF hazel
nuts. The other fragments, numbering
120, ranged in size from q pin head to
full grown pea.
An examination of the largest piece
showed that tho outer walls of the shell
were not more than three-eights OF an
inch, and that it was fired from nothing
smaller than q 6-inch gun. The infer
ence is that nothing but the best of steel
can be used to stand the pressure on the
bore of the gun. Nothing but high ex-
plOsive could smash q strong steel shell
| into such minute fragments.
DR.. Wada in operating on twelve sail
ors did not find larger fragment than
the one described. There were no indi-
cations of shrapnel. He described how
on decks made slippery with blood he
saw small bits of bone scattered every
where. He stumbled over an arm here
and leg there. He saw men with their
abdomens carried away and the flesh
torn off their bodies. Nothing but a
high explosive shell, he said, could have
caused such effects. =.
The wounds caused by such shell
were no worse than those resulting from
old.fashioned shells or shrapnel. II 9
man was lucky enough not to be killed
lie had very good chance of getting, of
unhurt or with very slight wounds, but
they were meant to kill. The doctor
continued:
1.-Two sailors stood on the bridge with
Can't. Rudineff, Count Nirod and petty
Eoficer. One of the new shells struck the
petty officer. The new shells are pro-
vided with fuses and take effect not only
on contact with water, but with parts OF
the rigging, living men, even clothing
lin fact, wherever the resistance Is suffi-
cient to alter the speed ever 80 little.
The shell referred to exploded and blew
the petty officer to atoms. There was
absolutely nothing found OF him after
ward. Count Nirod, who was standing
next to him, was also blown to pieces,
only one arm being found afterward.
The two sailors stood way off. The
explosion tore all the flesh from the
lower parts of their legs, which had to
be amputated afterward. Capt. Rudi-
neff was still little further off and es-
capped with slight wounds in the head.
i'm old shells the fragments are meant
to kill or wound. The explosive is there
merely to burst the shell and give add,
tional impetus to the fragments. In
the new shells the explosive itself is
meant to kill. The function of the
shells is simply to convey the explosive
to the desired spot"
DR.. Wada said he did not know the
limits in which the shell kills or wounds
seriously. But the instance described
above proves that it is not very large.
Referring to the numerous cases of sup.
puration of wounds caused by pieces Of
clothing entering with the fragments OF
a shell, DR.. Wada suggested that the
Government should make new rule in
the navy that whenever fight is expect.
ed every man shall have his body well
washed and his clothing disinfected
He continued:
Happily it is the rule of our men in
the army and navy always to 60 into
battle in the newest and cleanest uni
form. This is not for sanitary considera
tions, but it works the right way all the
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