76 W. B. Morton on 



firing it into water, whereas a tallow candle can be fired through 

 a thin board. A bullet fired through a pane of glass which is 

 suspended by strings does not make it swing. In these cases 

 the explanation is to be found in the necessity for a certain time 

 of action to be allowed in order that even large forces, such as 

 those involved in collisions, may produce effects in deformation 

 or in motion. 



When a bullet is fired into sand it is found that the distance 

 of penetration is gr'eater when the bullet has travelled some way 

 than when it is close to the muzzle, i.e., the bullet goes farther 

 when it enters with less speed. Here the cause lies in the 

 deformation produced in the bullet itself at very high velocities 

 of impact ; the flattened bullet encounters greater resistance and 

 comes more rapidly to rest. 



In a liquid or semi-liquid medium "explosive" effects may 

 be produced, the matter being ejected backwards as well as 

 forwards, as if an explosion had taken place within. Here the 

 momentum of the entering bullet is communicated to the mobile 

 matter which is projected in the direction of least resistance 

 through the hole by which the bullet entered. It is said that 

 bullet wounds made at very close or very long ranges are worse 

 than at mean ranges. For short ranges the explanation may be 

 found in the explosive effect just mentioned, and at long ranges 

 the spin of the bullet may be too small to keep it moving point 

 forward so that it upsets in the wound. 



(A number of lantern-slides were shown in illustration of the 

 lecture). 



In the course of the discussion — 



Mr. F. W. Henry mentioned that he had himself performed 

 the experiment of firing a candle through a board. 



Mr. H. Riddell, M.E., thought it probable that the bullet on 

 leaving the muzzle had a period of irregular movement before 

 steadying down on its flight. 



Col. A. Fullerton, C.M.G., E.A.M.C, gave an account of 

 some interesting cases of bullet-wounds which had come under 

 his observation in France. 



