and made its exit through the left intervertebral foramen between the second and third vertebræ, as shown after death, no paralysis occurred at the time of the injury, nor subsequently, nor was any evidence afforded post mortem of thecal inflammation having been excited. (See Guy’s Reports, vol. v., 1859.) In injuries of the vertebral column and spinal cord occurring in military practice, the mischief is usually so complicated and extensive, and the medulla itself so bruised, that the cases must be very rare indeed in which the operation of trephining, if justifiable in any case, can offer the slightest prospect of benefit. M. Baudens extracted, with an elevator supplied with a canula, a ball which had lodged in the eleventh dorsal vertebra and was causing compression with complete paraplegia. The paralysis disappeared immediately after the extraction of the bullet; but tetanus came on four days afterward, and proved speedily fatal. Balls have been known to pass through the bodies of vertebræ, and apparent cure follow; but as such patients in military practice are usually invalided out of the service as soon as they are fit to leave hospital, no opportunity is afforded of observing the consequences which ulteriorly ensue. GUNSHOT WOUNDS OF THE FACE. Wounds of the face from musket–shot, grape, and small fragments of shell are usually more distressing from the deformity they occasion than dangerous to life. The absence of vital organs, the natural divisions among the bones, and their comparatively soft structure, rendering them less liable to extensive splitting; the copious vascular reticulation and supply rendering necrosis so much less likely and repair so much easier than in other bones; the limited amount of space occupied by the osseous structure between their respective periosteal investments, and the opportunities from the number of cavities and passages connected with this region for the escape of discharges, lead to this result. On the other hand, the vascularity of this region leads to danger both of primary and especially secondary hemorrhage—a circumstance which, in all deep wounds of this region, must be looked for as a not improbable complication. The other complications of these gunshot wounds are lesions of the organs of special sense, injury to the base of the skull, paralysis from injury to nerves, wounds of glands, their ducts, and of the lachrymal apparatus; but it is scarcely necessary to do more than allude to them, as the considerations connected with their treatment will be found elsewhere.