Gunshot fractures of the Skull. 59 



cranial surface the bone is chipped off irregularly round. 

 At the back, in the right side of the occipital bone, between 

 the superior curved line and the lanibdoidal sviture, there is a 

 larger and more irregular aperture measuring IJ- by 1^ inch. 

 In this case the greater irregularity and chipping off is seen 

 on the outer surface, while the cranial margin is smooth, a 

 condition the reverse of what is present at the anterior 

 aperture. 



As it is known that with the musket ball, at least, the 

 entrance wound in the skull was smaller than the exit wound, 

 and that the bevelling is with any bullet always on the margins 

 of the apertures towards which the bullet is travelling, the 

 condition of the apertures in this skull entirely corroborate 

 the historical account of the action on that part of the battle- 

 field on which it was found. B. C. xvii. 3. 



3. 49. Bullet Wound of the Skull. — Portion of the right parietal 

 bone behind and above the ear — macerated — to show aperture 

 produced by a bullet wound. 



The man, who was a servant, had shot himself. He lived for forty- 

 eight hours afterwards. The bullet split in two. One part was found 

 beneath the scalp, three inches from the wound, and the other part 

 passed inwards, and was found beside the falciform process of the dura 

 mater. 



The hole is larger in its vertical than in its transverse 

 measurement, probably from the upward direction of the shot, 

 and the chipping is greater upon the cranial than upon the 

 outer margin of the aperture. It may be noted that the 

 bevelling is greater on the inner and upper surfaces, than upon 

 the posterior and lower surfaces, probably indicating the direction 

 of the bullet. At the upper j^art of the outer margin some lead 

 has been impacted. This probably points to where the ball was 

 split. B. C. XVII. 2. 



3. 50. Gunshot Wound of the Skull, from a Pistol held 



close to the Temple. — Front half of the vault of 



