USE OF EXPLOSIVE BULLETS.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13771, 7 May 1915, Page 8

USE OF EXPLOSIVE BULLETS.

TesthnrM-y thai r.v-if-ivo bullets' have bee ii usv! by i\is Aiisiiian sr-ldiers is given by Dr. H. C. • <v. i t, of Waimate, Smith Cantorii'iry ■. a letter writtoi from Kn^lir •'. •<<•.' Barclay -was r.K.-K'hecl to the &.'\ A.•,../ Corps of the ! J.i-..Mni) 'forivs i >r four months, ami iiii Lonihen: 1..:1 ''"ngland on January JsL. •"ihiL explosive l-!>':'- ; were used, ■ there c;n hv v.v -Onv'.- Or. Barclay wrn't>. "! '•.""• ;• ■'i : ' f the-most deadly ,--V a-iri:--.>: ■:■;. . vi.% !'>e bullet had a mimuo (..;< "K.g ; . 'n end, which, was covered by a snutii circular shield, from which a pin projected into the- centre of tho cartridge-. To drop one accidentally on the floor meant an explosion; to drop the clip meant probable loss of a leg, at leaist. It was generally believed that contact with a . twig of a tree in flight was sufficient to explode it. The Austrians themselves frankly confessed to be very frightened of using them. Of course, it was said that only ten were handed out to a company to act as range finders. If one happened, however, to be at the other end of the range, and half a limb or a joint were shattered to pieces, an apology hardly see-ms to meet the case." Writing of his hospital experiences, Dr. Barclay states that his chief work consisted of extracting bullets and pieces of shell and dead bone, -and in excising or cutting out shattered joints, rather than amputations. The statistics of his ward showed four per cent, of deaths and one per cent, of possibly preventable death. The commandant of the corps was exceedingly successful at brain work, having had much experience in the Russo-Japan-ese- , war. Profusions of the brain through holes in the skull.are commonly regarded as moist'hopeless cases to deal with, but they were successfully operated on quite as a matter -of ' course. The bullet wounds principally dealt with were those- caused by the conical and round shrapnel and broken portions of shell and cartridge. A bnyonot wound on a Russian he never once saw. Dr. Barclay adds that there was a marvellous immunity from chloroform sickness, though generally the operations were performed without any preparation of the pationt for tho anaesthetic.