On December 25th further experiments were made in the same place on human skin. Experiments were then made as to powder-marks on cloth in frames with canton-flannel behind at the armory of the Tenth Battalion, N. G. S. N. Y. From one to five feet, some scorching. Further experiments to determine radius of powder-marks. Paper was fired at so stretched as to allow of a smooth surface. Powder was driven through paper in all experiments. While these experiments are valuable, it must be remembered they are the results of only one kind of fire-arm. Another pistol of the same caliber but with a longer barrel would show differently, or if the caliber were smaller, variations would be found. They give, however, some idea of what may be expected of fire-arms in general. Gunshot wounds on the dead body give the same appearance as in the living. The only difference may be bleeding, for on the cadaver, unless the bullet cut a vein, no bleeding follows the shot. The size of the wound on the dead does not differ from ones made in life. The entrances and exits bear about the same relation to each other, and in all other respects, to give an opinion only on the evidence of the orifices, without taking every circumstance obtainable into consideration, would be to give but negative testimony. The track of the wound internally in the dead body, unless, as said before, the bullet had traversed a vein, would not give the same color from blood-staining as we find in like wounds before death. While practice and care may make the distinction, it is not one that can be considered as positive proof, although it may aid in the conclusion when coupled with other revelations of the autopsy. Self-inflicted Gunshot Wounds.-To state that a given wound could not be made upon a body by the person himself is to put one side the known peculiarities of suicides. The most improbable means as well as the most unexpected methods are practiced at times by those bent on self-destruction. One fact is generally present, and that is, where determination to die is the cause of inflicting a wound, what is supposed to be a vital spot is always chosen, into which the shot is discharged. And the pistol or gun is more apt to be held near than to be fired from a distance. The results of near fire would then be present, and, added to other circumstances, show the wound to have been self-inflicted. Wounds may be given with fire-arms which, while fatal, are entirely accidental. One often sees accounts of such accidents to sportsmen, who in carelessly handling their guns receive dangerous or fatal injuries, or who, in some careless way, shoot a companion. In wounds of this kind, while the wound itself may have all the appearance of being homicidal and not accidental, surrounding circumstances have much weight. A man found dead from a gunshot wound in the back, murder would not be thought of if he was out shooting, and his gun was found hanging in a hedge or close by a fence which gave evidences of having been passed by the man himself. Wounds of this character may not be so close as to give burning or bruising, but attendant proof will show how they came to be inflicted. Danger and Severity of Wounds.-If one considers that any injury done to a human body, from chances of inflammation or absorption of some septic matter, or on account of a speculative condition of the wounded that he may have disease of the kidneys, stomach, or what not, prove in time a dangerous injury, all assailants, no matter what the result of their assault, should be confined until such time as all remote danger from whatever cause is entirely removed. The law, however, does not so hold, and medical men should be able to place some fair limit to the danger zone, as they must be able to state why a given injury is dangerous to life. Wounds which involve cavities like the chest or abdomen, cut large vessels, cause great laceration or crushing of soft tissues, create compound fractures of the larger bones, contuse or fracture the skull or spinal column so the nerve tissues are directly injured-in short, any wound that does such grave harm that the danger to life is imminent, is one upon which the prisoner would be held until the issue as to life or death is decided. It is well known that even slight wounds, cuts, or lacerations may be attacked by erysipelas and the patient die, but the "maybe's" are not to be taken into consideration, unless the chance of their developing is almost immediate; the "is" is what must decide the question. A kick or severe blow to the abdomen would have to be judged by the condition of the patient just after the receipt of the injury, and the physician would properly state that such an injury, judging from the collapsed state of the patient, was one he could not give a positive statement upon as to its danger, but must wait two or three days to determine if internal lesion of serious character had not been done. Here, then, reasonable time is taken, and taken because of the alarming condition of the patient shortly after his receiving the injury. In the case of a man suffering concussion of the brain and insensible, the surgeon gives his opinion at once that the wound is dangerous to life. In the case of the blow to the abdomen, the patient not insensible, but evidently badly hurt, he takes a reasonable time and states his reasons therefor. A wound may not be immediately dangerous to life and yet be a seri ous wounding, one which may become dangerous in a few hours, or may not assume any such change. Here the committing magistrate is to be guided by the requirements of the law, the doctor merely stating the wound is a serious one, but if nothing out of the ordinary occurs, it is not necessarily dangerous to life. The medical opinion must not only be founded upon the nature of the injury, but also upon the condition and history of the patient, for what would only be a severe wound in one person would be a dangerous one in another, and the surgeon's knowledge of his profession enables him to differentiate between the two. It may be a difficult and trying position for the medical man, and one where, whichever way he decides, he may be severely criticised; but, "for this we are doctors." Evidence of Wounds, Weapons, and other Articles.-After the examination of a body dead under circumstances which call for legal investigation, the medical examiner has to make deductions from all the different appearances of the case as to the questions, Was the death from homicide, suicide, or accident? To do this, everything about the body and the wounds must be carefully noted, and the weight due each in the general summation carefully balanced. The question will be asked, Was there a weapon used, and if so, what kind of a weapon? This is to be answered from the evidences of the wound itself, the clothing, and the autopsy. Where death is from an incised wound the character of the cut indicates the knife. In the case of Mrs. Budge, already cited, the defense claimed her throat was cut by the razor found on the bed near to her right hand. The wound was undoubtedly an incised one, and it is described as being "on the right side, three and one half inches below the lobe of the ear; on the left side, about three and one quarter inches below lobe of ear; four and one half inches below center of chin on medium curved line, severing the cricoid cartilage, œsophagus, arteries, veins, pneumo-gastric nerves, and all the muscles of the anterior part of the neck. Circumference of neck above, or at the wound, twelve inches; curved length of cut, five and one half inches. Depth of cut in a direct line, two inches back to the vertebræ, cutting through the periosteum. and into the osseous matter of the fifth vertebra, and also shaving off a lateral portion of the transverse process of this vertebra. Skin on the right side cut down one half to three quarters of an inch lower than tissue. Tissue on left side cut deeper than skin about one half to three quarters of an inch, and extending down into the muscles external to the vertebræ, so that the skin at the termination of the cut on the left side appeared as if stretched and rounded instead of being sharp, or angular. Trachea and tissues retracted, so that wound gaped about two inches." It was claimed by defense the death was suicidal, but the evidence of the wound puts this assertion in doubt. It is to be noticed on the right side the skin is cut further than the muscles, the incision tails off in the skin. To do this the knife must have been drawn gradually |