INJURY OF THE FACE. 51 



it became obvious that the cause of so much 

 suffering was not diseased bone, but metal. After 

 considerable difficulty I succeeded in extracting 

 (what is almost incredible) the breech of a gun! 

 the presence of which had never been suspected. 

 The patient was only sensible of the last two or 

 three efforts at extraction, and although there was 

 no haemorrhage of any consequence during the 

 operation, we did not, during its latter part, 

 induce complete anaesthesia, fearing that blood 

 might find its way into the trachea, and cause 

 suffocation. 



The piece of metal weighed a little more than 

 four ounces^ and was quite oxydized. The trans- 

 verse portion measured in length one inch and a 

 half, in breadth five-eighths of an inch at one part, 

 and half an inch at its narrowest part; its thickest 

 portion measured five-eighths of an inch. That 

 portion of the breech, which is screwed on to the 

 stock measured in length two inches and six- 

 eighths, and in breadth five-eighths of an inch. 

 The screw measured in circumference two inches 

 and five-eighths. 



It now only remains for me to state, so far as I 

 can, the position occupied by this foreign sub- 

 stance, and the subsequent progress of the case. 



The superior maxilla was evidently fractured 

 over the antrum Highmori ; the transverse portion 

 of the breech, with the greater part of the screw, 

 passing into that cavity, became embedded there, 



E 2 



