nlicher (.315) calibre.

FOOTNOTES:

[5] See tables, pp. 12, 13, 15, Chapter I.

[6] The weights are from cartridges brought home. The charge of powder
was small and variable.

[7] H. Nimier and E. Laval, _Les Projectiles des Armes de Guerre_, p.
20. F. Alcan. 1899.

[8] Mr. Leslie B. Taylor informs me that this rifle is a discarded
Portuguese regulation pattern, with which a copper-ensheathed soft-nosed
bullet was originally employed. For the purposes of the present campaign
a modified cartridge was constructed. Examination of some specimens in
my possession showed the charge of powder to be very small. (Table I. p.
48.)

CHAPTER III

GENERAL CHARACTERS OF WOUNDS PRODUCED BY BULLETS OF SMALL CALIBRE

The effects of injuries inflicted by bullets of small calibre may be
divided into two classes:

1. Direct or immediate destruction of tissue.

2. Remote changes induced by the transmission of vibratory force from
the passing projectile to neighbouring tissues or organs.

Those of the first class will be mainly considered in this chapter; the
remote effects will be dealt with under the headings devoted to special
regions.

In dealing with the wounds as a whole I shall first describe those of
uncomplicated character as type injuries, and deal with those possessing
special or irregular characters separately.

TYPE WOUNDS

1. _Nature of the external apertures._--The apertures of entry and exit
in uncomplicated cases are very insignificant, but the size naturally
varies slightly with that of the special form of bullet concerned. As
will be shown moreover, the difference in size is the only real
distinguishing characteristic in many cases between wounds produced by
the modern bullet of small calibre and those resulting from the use of
the older and larger projectiles of conical form. I have been very much
struck on looking over my diagrams of entry, and especially exit, wounds
to find that they reproduce in miniature most of those figured in the
History of the War of the Rebellion; some of these diagrams are
reproduced in this chapter.

_Aperture of entry._--The typical wound of entry with a normal
undeformed bullet varies in appearance according to whether the
projectile has impinged at a right angle or at increasing degrees of
obliquity, or again, to whether the skin is supported by soft tissues
alone, or on those of a more resistent nature such as bone or cartilage.

[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Ma