Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-03-19

have been the extraordinary
character OF wounds produced by
shells and high velocity bullets. and the
"ounniess deaths and dsa Elements
caused by the shock of bursting high ex-
plosiyes Medical and surgical science.
examining these effects, have made some
very important new discoveries which
are announced here for the first time.
One OF the most astonishing is that
the small calibre nigh velocity and
pointed bullet. used by the French
aud the Germans. causes it's greatest
damage, not by the bullet itself, but nv
capsule OF compressed air which, be.
cause of the bullets great speed. II
carries in front OF it. This compressed
AIR Is forced into the tissues when the
bullet strikes, expands rapidly and pro.
duces Jagged sissue-sha ttering wounds
mat are sometimes as large as a saucer.
Splinters OF shell. moving by the force OF
nigh explosive. produce the same ctrect
The Death
Bubbles in the Blood.
The Woundless deaths ana disable.
hents nave an equally surprising cause.
We all know that charged waters or
wines nave air and carbonc acid gas in
solution InsideI the bottle with the
CORK air tight. pressure keeps the buh
bIes In solution. When we take out tbe
cork We see the bubbles appear and
come up through the liquid. This In
because pressure has been lessened, re-
leasing the air and gas which gather
into bubbles
shell filed with high explosive.
bursting. has exactly the same effect on
mar close 10 II. In our Doon are air
and carbonic acid gas in solution. The
violent displacement Of the air from the
explosion creates a partial vacuum about
the bursting centre. The gases from
the shell; themselves are much lighter
Than air ,-Respondng 20 the leseencd
atmospheric pressure the air and the saa
In solution In the blood form Immediate.
~ INTO bubbles. These go into the ca.
piiaries and stop the circulation. Death
a. once results
Conversely. the high explosives pro.
duce enormous air compression This
! compression causes an abrupt fall in the
olood pressure, producing an Immediate
, lowering OF the oxygen supply In the
blood and so distnrbs all the nervous
processes that death loss OF memory.
insanity blindness and other wound
less" disabilities occur.
The investigations in,o the ef1ects .,
'he bullet shell and grenade wounds has
been headed on the German side bv
Df Herman NATL. OF Berne. DR. Ma,,i
mas made his results known in the
beuische Aiedizinische Wochenschrift
Discussing bullet wounds he calls atten
) ton TO the fact that the momen, 2 bullet
leaves tie muzze OF the gun it ON.
counters air resistance This is a very
Tcai resistance, az any one who mas ever
tired to run against heavy wind knows
jJnst az boat rushing through water
piles up Il wave az It's bow. so does tho
EDhlict Pile up a little wave of air in from,
OF IT. The greater the velocity Of the
bullet. the denser is this wave or rapsuI.
OF air before It, Both the French ana
German small caltbre bullets have All
Initial velocity Of half mile second
In cases Of short range this air capsule
is driven into the tissues before and with
the bullet AID with The checking OF speed
EXPANDS Just like charge Of .unpoydcr
fragments OF shell, and particularly
or the hand grenades. frequently carry
this same COMPRESSED air cansula o,
larger scale. When this happens the
victim is blown 80 pieces--not from
without but from expansion within,
] In no previous war has there been
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