ojectile
which comes into contact with the body. The tendency to wobble is
naturally greatly increased in ricochet bullets, since the contact, if
lateral, serves to check the spin on which the bullet depends for its
flight on an axis parallel to its long diameter. The first effect of
wobbling is to increase the size and interfere with the regularity of
outline of the wound of entry; but it also acts in a more serious
manner, since the increase of the area of impact augments the resistance
offered by the body; therefore the degree of damage to the tissues is
accentuated and becomes greater than it would be from a bullet
travelling at the same rate on its normal axis. Hence the wounds are
both large and severe, or if the velocity is very low, the projectile is
especially likely to be retained.

Actual reversal of the bullet usually only slightly enlarges the
aperture of entry, but injuries to cancellous bone are apt to be more
severe when the bullet enters in this manner, or again it is often
retained. I saw several such cases during the campaign.

Another form of wobble is suggested by Nimier and Laval,[9] of which I
can offer no experience. They suggest that, as rotation slows, the
bullet may on impact wobble like a top before it ceases to spin.
Probably the power of penetration possessed by a bullet wobbling in this
manner would not be very great, but its effect would mainly be altered
in the direction of an abnormal increase in the size of the aperture of
entry, or possibly in the degree of comminution in fractures.

It is probable that some of the more serious wounds observed were merely
the result of unusual forms of impact with normal flight on the part of
the bullet. The majority, however, depended, in the case of the wound of
exit, on deformation of the bullet within the body, or the propulsion of
bone fragments with it, and, when both apertures were affected, to
previous ricochet on the part of the projectile.

It is here necessary to give a short account of the more common
deformities met with, and to refer to the special characters possessed
by different types of bullet of small calibre which may affect the ease
with which deformity is produced, and the degree to which it is commonly
carried. The effect of ricochet is to lower the velocity of flight, and
at the same time to effect certain alterations of form in the bullet.
These with rectangular impact in the case of bullets travelling at a low
degree of v