TY - JOUR PY - 1915// TI - Injuries in the present war [1915] JO - Buffalo medical journal A1 - Quinton, W. W. SP - 557 EP - 562 VL - 70 IS - 10 N2 - A few short years ago we thought we knew all there was to know about modern arms and projectiles and their effect on the human body. Our studies of the Spanish-American war and the Russo-Japanese war revealed much, but it seems as if the present war must revolutionize all our ideas on this subject. This is not due so much to a marked change in armament, as it is to changed conditions in the conduct of the war; con ditions unlooked for and regarded as impossible. The fight ing is being conducted at point-blank range and the combat ants are being subjected to the full effect of the 20th Century engines of war. We have to consider the effect of rifle bullets, shells, (per cussion and shrapnel), bombs fired from trench mortars, arrows rained down from aeroplanes, machine guns, pistol balls, and even bayonet. The rifle bullets are, for the most part, about 30 caliber, light, sharp pointed, and with an extremely high velocity-- nearly 3,000 feet per second muzzle velocity. The French bullet is said to be made of solid brass; the German, more like our own, has a jacket of cupro-nickle steel and a hardened lead core. The percussion shells burst on impact, are filled with a high explosive charge and have a thick steel ease. Their explosion is followed by the distribution of ragged pieces of steel in all directions, with terrific force, causing the most frightful wounds. The shrapnel have a time fuse which is cut by the gunner to burst in a given number of seconds. The fuse is lighted by the powder charge which propels the projectile, when the piece is fired. The shrapnel are built up; a plate of friable iron on which rest a number of hardened lead balls, caliber 50; another iron plate, then another layer of balls, and so on until the case is filled; the fuse forming the point of the shell. They contain a powder charge just sufficient to burst the case, which is about 3-16ths of an inch in thickness. When the shell bursts the friable iron plates are brpken by the ex plosion and, with the balls, make about 300 fragments which are propelled forward, cone-shaped, at the original velocity of the shell. The bombs are fired by trench mortars at close range. They are about 7 inches in diameter and contain only the bursting charge of explosive. On bursting the outside casing is torn to bits and tin* steel fragments are sent Hying in all directions. The arrows from aeroplanes have a velocity sufficient to drive them through a man's body from his head to his feet. The pistol balls are of small caliber, from 30 to 38, some of them made of hardened lead and others with steel jackets, similar to the rifle bullets. 'Much has been said about the use of "mushroom" bullets by the combatants in the various armies. I think it may be safely said that none of these armies have used, are using, or ever will use bullets of this description. There are several factors that enter into the question and mislead individuals into thinking that they have to deal with wounds from "mush room" bullets. Explosive effects do occur in the use of the high power rifles, and the causes may be divided into three classes: 1. High velocity, causing extensive comminution of bones when struck at a right angle, 2. Instability of flight and a tendency on the part of the bullet to revolve around a transverse axis. Unless impact occurs with almost the exact tip, a rapid revolution of the bullet on its axis occurs and it is driven sideways through the tissues, producing a large wound of exit. This is particularly true of the German bullet. 3. Ricochet. This is where a bullet first strikes some object and is deflected, entering the body of the soldier in a greatly deformed condition and causing an extensive wound. When men are only a few yards apart, as they are in the present struggle, the most typical explosive effects are pro duced...

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1040-3817 UR - http://dx.doi.org/ ID - ref1 ER -