Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-06-22
TURP|N|TE EFFECTS TOLD BY SURGEON
Air Pressure, After Explosion Of Shell,
Produces Sort Of Paralysis
AmonqFSoIdiers


Danish surgeons have been studying
the effect caused by turpinite in Bel
GUM and France. This new destructive
shell was invented by Mr.. Turpin, and
during the early part of the war was
used with deadly effects by the armies
of France.
In a letter from a Danish surgeon
signing himself "Dr. L." which appears
in he Copenhagen Dargens Nyh9 DER
Daily News), mention is made Of sew
eral cases observed by him, Of which
the following are most interesting.
"A young soldier was lying in the
German trenches in Belgium on Au-
gust 20, when turpinite shell struck
at a distance of three or four meters
from him. He was thrown several feet
by the shock and when found was un-
conscious, but no wounds were visl.
BILE. His knapsack las torn to Shreds
and his field bottle was broken. He
regained consciousness after being
taken to the field hospital, but he was
unable to move his right arm or leg.
There were no external or internal in
iuries, but he presented the appear
ance of a man who had suffered an
apoplectic stroke. In few weeks he
was perfectly we'll again. A German
Lieutenant, at that time in the north
of France, had the same experience
and symptoms.
Another case under nay observation
was that of nOncommissioned officer
who suffered from severe hemor-
rhages from the nose and mouth fol
lowing the explosion Of turpinite
shell near him. He also had severe
pains in the left side of his chest. He
was carried unconscious to the field
hospital, where it was found that he
had hemorrhage near the pulmonary
cavity. In six weeks he was ready for
service again.
1T was characteristic also in this
case that there were no external or
internal wounds caused by the pro-
jectile, nor have any wounds been
found in any of the patients that have
come under my notice. In all the
cases the men were found lying upon
the ground unconscious, with the eX
ception of one, who was found sd
ing up and who became unconscious
before he fell.
"In these cases paralysis must be
ascribed to the air pressure which is
caused by the explosion Of the shell.
This air pressure will cause one or
more small or large blood vessels to
burst in the body. The air pressure
is positive when the projectile strikes
in front of a soldier and the bursting
of the blood vessel is in that case occa,
stoned by the compressed air; but the
air pressure can also be negative
when the shell flies by person, and
in this instance the bursting of blood
vessels is not caused by pressure, but
by suction produced by the vacuum
left behind the shell in it's swift course
through the air. Should blood vessel
burst in the brain a typical case of
apoplexy will follow, and the bursting
of a blood vessel in the lungs will
cause a pulmonary hemorrhage.
"In cases where death occurs after
the explosion of shell and no wounds
of any kind are found on the body, it
can be determined with certainty that
the shell was composed of the new eX'
plosive turpinite, and no doubt caused
a serious bleeding from the bursting
of blood vessel in the chest or aldo
men ending fatally.