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of water, only blisters and reddening of the skin are found frorma application of heated metals. Here, as in case the metal is still . ·~ the burn often shows the size and shape of the object causing it, w molten metals are prone to scatter over the exposed parts. It here be noted that, because of the vaporization of the moisture t skin, momentary contact with even metals at a red heat, as in the r of the plowshare, may do but little damage to the parts exposed.

Injuries to the body by corrosive chemicals, especially the min. acids, are arbitrarily classed as burns, while if the agents are taketernally, it is termed poisoning. Burnings from explosions, especial1 gunpowder, are often of great extent, superficial, and, in the case of powder, accompanied by extensive tattooing from the driving or burned grains of powder into the skin. Burns from petroleuna leave a distinct and characteristic odor, even for days, and a carbona«~ residue is found after the combustion ceases. Patients burned by exp sion of firedamp and other gases, especially in coal-mines, often pre dark, carbonaceous particles driven into the skin, these being much le uniform in size than in powder explosions.

Of the chemical agents spoken of, sulphuric acid, which is probab most commonly used criminally, produces a brownish or almost blac stain, nitric acid a yellowish one, and hydrochloric acid a yellowish brownish-yellow one. The eschar, unlike that from a burn, is soft an moist, the hairs are not burned, nor is there the area of reddened sk. which commonly surrounds a burn. The spots generally found upo the clothing assist in deciding the nature of the chemical used, not only by more or less characteristic staining, but by chemical analysis. I one case of accidental burning by phosphorus, upon the face and handI found the wounds very severe, with much inflammatory reaction, long in healing and followed by severe scarring.

While scalds are almost always accidental, and burns generally so, as well as the injuries from chemicals mentioned, burns may be intentionally inflicted to cause death or disfigurement, or the attempt may be made to cover up crime by destroying the body by fire. The chemiical agents may be used externally to cause death or disfigurement, or may be taken internally for suicidal purposes. Burns and scalds are very rarely suicidal. Burns are:

1. Superficial, the skin and subcutaneous tissues only being involved, leaving, in many cases, no permanent scar, or, if the scar be present, no

contraction.

2. More severe, blisters being formed, either immediately or within a few hours, and the soft parts underlying the skin being destroyed in greater or less measure. If the skin only is destroyed, a white, shining cicatrix is often left, without notable contraction, while the burns causing extensive destruction of tissue lead to perhaps the worst cases of contraction presenting themselves to the surgeon.

3. Burns destroying the parts, even to actual charring, and generally fatal. In many cases different burns on the same subject present all the varying degrees of severity.

BURNS PRODUCED BY FLAMES (HOFMANN).

Body of a child two years old. Many of the burnt areas were as though roasted and of a brownish-black color, and the distribution of the burns was extremely characteristicresembling swimming breeches. This distribution of the burns occurs especially in the case of women and children when the clothing of the lower portion of the body is quickly consumed. This latter is favored by the air which intervenes between the clothing and the body and by the light fabrics of which the clothing is made. This sort of burn is not so likely to be met with in the case of men, because of the closer apposition of the clothing to the body and because of the more substantial materials of which it is usually made. The latter may even afford a certain protection against burning, of which in the present case one may see an indication in the limitation of the burn at the waist-band, and at the areas above the knees corresponding to the situation of the garters. The extensive brownish areas between the umbilicus and the symphysis pubis and on the inner surfaces of the thighs are those portions which the flames must have affected early and intensely.