Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900: Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small CalibreMakins, George Henry
History
Surgical Experiences in South Africa, 1899-1900: Being Mainly a Clinical Study of the Nature and Effects of Injuries Produced by Bullets of Small Calibre
Makins, George Henry
Gunshot wounds; South African War, 1899-1902; Surgery, Military
[Illustration: FIG. 30.--Ruptured Mauser Mantle, to illustrate the
tendency to complete longitudinal fissuring]
Fig. 31 represents bullets removed from the body and illustrates types
of deformity due to impact with the bones. The deformity resembles in
some degree that of the mushroomed lead cores, and also indicates that
the shoulder of the cased bullet is its weakest point. Each specimen
exhibits shortening and widening without fracture of the mantle, the
latter being simply thrown into folds; both bullets were lodged in the
thigh after fracturing the femur. The localisation of injury to the fore
part of the bullet, and the fact of expansion, allow us to infer that
the degree of velocity retained on impact with the bone was
comparatively low, and that neither bullet had been exposed to very
severe strain.
[Illustration: FIG. 31.--Two retained Mauser Bullets which had produced
comminuted fractures of the femur of moderate severity. Each has given
way at the shoulder, but the mantle has developed creases without
rupture, and the bullets are correspondingly bent. Both bullets were
travelling at a moderate if not low degree of velocity]
Fig. 32 is also of a retained bullet in which the fore part of the
mantle is very extensively fissured and the core set free. In this the
mantle has suffered severely and the leaden core to a less extent. As an
apical ricochet it corresponds with the Lee-Metford shown in fig. 36.
[Illustration: FIG. 32.--Apical Ricochet Mauser Bullet (see text). The
'mushrooming' of the core is moderate, but the destruction of the
anterior part of the mantle very considerable]
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