The increased velocity, or, in other words, greater force, of modern projectiles exhibits its effects in two directions—locally, by the greater destruction of the tissues in the track of the projectile; and constitutionally, by greater disturbance in the nerve–force of the whole system. The component parts of that portion of the organized fabric through which a bullet, traveling at the rate of several miles per minute, cleaves its way are inevitably deprived of their vitality. Instances are quoted by authors, of gunshot wounds having healed by simple adhesion; but such examples are not met with from rifle–bullets retaining their original form. Moreover, when considering the course taken by balls in the body, it will have to be shown that the velocity imparted to projectiles from modern weapons has led to another change in gunshot wounds. The great power of resistance so often before exhibited by the yielding elastic tissue of the skin, by tendinous and other structures, is no longer of avail against projectiles from modern fire–arms at their usual rates of speed. The splitting and destructive effects of conical balls on the shafts of the long bones of the extremities have already been mentioned when referring to the peculiarities of their shape. But, together with form, the amount of momentum is a necessary ingredient in estimating this result. The old round balls—partly from their form, but also from the imperfect mechanism of the firelocks from which they were discharged, and consequent minor degree of velocity imparted to them—on striking bones, would simply be turned away from the direct line, or, failing this, would knock out a portion of the shaft without further fracture, or, having perforated on one side, remain in the cancellated structure, or be simply flattened without penetrating. It seems not unlikely, also, that the modern conical bullets are denser, from the circumstance of their manufacture by mechanical pressure, than bullets, such as are still used in some places, cast in moulds. The influence of density with respect to power of penetration is very great. In the two most perfect of modern English rifles, the Enfield and the Whitworth, the projectiles and charges being of the same weight, when lead is used, the penetration at 800 yards is one–third greater with the Whitworth than the Enfield; but if a less yielding projectile is used, (as when the lead is mixed with tin,) its penetration is as 17 to 4 at 800 yards. Whether this cause operates or not, the fact is certain that conical balls in action exhibit almost invariably an overpowering force over all the structures, bone included, with which they come into contact in the human body, and are rarely met with flattened, or so much altered in form as bullets not unfrequently were formerly under like circumstances.