, is considerably the more
formidable of the two. This is the more important if it be allowed, as I
believe to be the case, that velocity _per se_ is of no practical import
in the case of wounds of the soft parts of the body, which after all
form the preponderating number of all gunshot injuries. The effect of
the higher degrees of velocity differs, however, with the amount of
resistance met with on the part of the body; hence its serious import is
well exemplified when parts of the osseous skeleton are implicated,
although even here considerable variations exist, dependent upon the
structure of that part of the bone actually involved. The most obvious
ill effect of injuries from bullets travelling at high rates is seen in
the case of the various parts of the nervous system, and here it is
undeniable. High velocity and striking force are also responsible for
the prolonged course sometimes taken by bullets through the body.

The actual degree of velocity, as judged by the range of fire at which
an injury is received and the resulting injury, is very hard to estimate
on account of the many and varying factors which enter into its
determination. The mere recital of some of these will suffice to make
this evident.

1. Quality of the individual cartridge employed, as to loading, the
materials employed, and their condition.

2. The condition of the rifle as to cleanliness, heating, and the state
of the grooves of the barrel.

3. The angle of impact of the bullet with the part injured.

4. Resistance dependent on the weight of the whole body of the man
struck, or of an isolated limb.

5. Special peculiarities of build in the individual struck, such as
thickness and density of the integument and fasciae, strength and
thickness of the bones, &c.

6. State of tension of the muscles, fasciae, and ligaments at the moment
of impact, and fixity or otherwise of the part of the body struck.

7. The degree of wind, temperature, and hygroscopic conditions of the
atmosphere.

These form some of the more important points which have to be taken into
consideration, in addition to a mere calculation of the actual distance
from which a wound has been received from a particular rifle, and taken
with the unsatisfactory nature of the evidence as to the latter, which
is usually alone obtainable, it is clear that definite assumptions are
scarcely possible. In a great number of cases I came to the conclusion
that the only indisputable evi