Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-10-17
THE FIRE OF BIG GUNS.
Their "Bast" ard Recoii Great Strain
Upon the Gunners.

upon the runners.
Among the incidentals to modern
methods OF big-gun firing at sea-
nausea, vertigo, violent shock, and
gun deafness" have received little at
tention. Fleet-Surgeon John Floyd
Thomas, r. N, in the British Medical
Journal, calls attention to these
diseases and the manner in which they
arise. He says:
I'm modern battleships the gun is in
side a barbette, turret, or casemate,
and in that way is housed in all around.
In other ships there are guns mounted
on the upper deck and not surrounded
by steel walls. 1t is a very moot point
whether the men serving the gun inside
the casemate or those working on the
upper deck battery suffer most from
the effect of the firing, for there are
two distinct factors to be taken into
account. First, the effect of the explo-
sion at the muzZle of the gun, common
ly known as the blast" second, a vi
client shaking in the breech of the gun
a the seat of ignition of the explosive,
which shock is transmitted from the
gun to the walls and roof of the case
head. ear, etc. 1t is enough to remark.
that they would probably not damage
the drum of the ear. although they do
produce distinct conclusions of the
skull spinal column, and the larger
joints, and give rise to headache tongue
bites, and general shock.
THE blast is the form of conclusion
.-l- 49,
upon those who come within it's radius
of disturbance and it is only necessary
to be on a level with the muzzle-on
either side-and within a given dis
lance to experience it's unpleasantneSS;
to he in advance of this plane intensi-
fies the shock and to stand over or be
on one side of and in advance of the fir
ing point causes most painful symp-
toms. Examples of this are seen in the
case of men standing close to any open
ing in the ships side in the vicinity of
the explosion, such as an open port.
where the membrane tympani can be
easily ruptured.
Doors are wrenched from their hinges
and iron Stanchions bent. Barbettes
and turrets have sighting-hoods, con-
Sisting of armOred citadels, from which
gun-hre is directed, and having a lift
ing roof SO as to form slot for taking
observations-this is in a line with the
face. Much suffering may be expert
enced While inside one of these or in a
casemate. especially where a big gun is ,
fired from aft, forward, or vice versa,
close to the ships side and in her
length. The occupant suffers at first
i'm Ne Oh ,x-1;
wool has been torn out of booth ears |
Officers who have been subjected to
this say that in addition to the violent |
shaking there is feeling of great de-
preston at the pit of the stomach, fol- |
lowed by tendency to be sick"
DR.. Thomas has this explanation to |
offer of the severe effect on the men of
the blast conclusion:
1T is probable that while the missile
is passing, and practically certain that
when the air is forcibly displaced by It
and by the gases which impel it, that a
severe compression of the body surface
takes place, the abdomen offering less
resistance than does the chest with its
cage in the form of ribs. A partial
vacuum succeeds during ali almost i'm
perceptible period. and the effect pro-
duced must be one of suction. Briefly
the effect at first is one of compression,
and secondly one of suction. Modern
guns tend to greater length than the
older armament, and it will be obvious
that for those men who are working at
the rear of the gun the blast will have
less disturbing effects. Speaking gen.
orally, all ships guns are fired at low
levels, and there the air density is
greatest and the intensity of air vibra- 5
ton is relatively increased accordingly. s
Again. conclusions and air vibrations t
are known to be more violent over wa {
ter and fiat surfaces than on rough and i
broken areas. so that under this head 7
It would appear as proved that the '
blast in naval guns is greater than it /
would be in similar gun on shore. The r
actual shock or vibration which is
to the gun and it's mount S
ing at the moment of firing is not so r
great af1oat as it would be on shore, a
because of the resliency which the wa
ter lends to the platform from which n
he gun is fired"