1896. removal. The patient being then in good health, the wound healed rapidly. He has sinice beeni discharged on pension. The following note from Lieutenant Bacon is interesting, as it illustrates a poinit in the diagnosis of metallic substances by electrical means wlhich I finid is Ilot generally understood in tllhe profession, altlhough it may readily occur to those who lhave practical acquaiintanice witlh electrical phenomena. " The piece of metal extracted was subsequently tested witlh a

more »

... ew to determininig the nature, of the nion-conductibility of the exterior with results that (i) wlhenl dr'y nio Circuit could be obtainied by rubbing the enids of two bare copper wires over the surface (2) considerable pressure with two soft iron points gave no circuit; (3) with t,wo needle points considerable pressure was required to establish a circuit. " To arrive at an estimate of the pressure required to force tlle needles inlto conltact wvitlh the conductinig portions of the metal, the piece of iron wvas placed between two needle points connected to a galvanometer and three secondary cells, and weights placed on the upper nieedle, wlhein it was founld tllat as much as 3 pounids weighlt was at times required to force the needles inlto colntact witlh tlle ir'on. " After soaking in warm water for anl lhour an-d a-lialf. the conductivity appeared to be slightly better in places -where the iron lhad beeni previously rubbed, but still a weight of over 2 pounds was required to give a deflection of tlle galvanometer. These rougl experiments poinlt to the niecessity of slharp points to electrical probes as well as a fair pressure being applied in workinig them, so that if no deflection is obtained it may be confidelntly known that nio metal has been touched." ___ BULLET WOUND OF SKULL. BY HOWARD J. McC. TODD, M.R.C.S., Staff-Surgeon R.N. [Communicated by the DIRECTORn-GENERAL OF THE MEDICAL DEPARTMIENT R.N.] T. T., aged 25, was slhot in the righlt temple at 4 P.M., the weapon (a revolver 0.385) lhavinig been dischlarced close to thle head. When seen one lhour later lhe was lyinig on hiis back witlh hiis eyes closed, but on being spoken to aniswered readily, and moved all Iiis limbs quite freely. The pulse was 8o, the respirations i6, the pupils were equal and active. During t] e eveninig lhe rose from hiis bed to pass water and use the stool, and then walked to a room some distanice off and conversed withi hiis frieinds, whio persuaded him to return to hiis bed, wlhichl lhe did, and remained quiet for tlhe niglht. On admission at 8 A.M. next day there was a small blackened aperture, from wlhich cerebral matter and blood oozed, situated a quarter of an inchl above and posterior to the riglht external angular process of the frontal bone. A probe could be easily passed tlhrouglh this for 3-inclhes backwards. upwards, and inwards inito the brain. Under chloroform and with antiseptic precautions a V-shaped flap was reflected, and a large trephini e applied immediately above anld belhind the hole in the skull. On removing tle disc of bone the dura mater was seeni to be contused; and on introducinig my finger several pieces of bone were felt imbedded in the frontal lobe; these were removed. The wound was washed gently with a I ill 5,o0o perchlloride, dressed witlh cyaniide gauze, and an icebag to the lhead. Th)e patienit rallied well after the operation. The pulse was 68, the temperature IOO.40, and respirations 32. Tlhe pupils were active anid equal. He answered questionis intelligently, and drank iced soda and milk. During the niiglht lhe was restless, frequently flexing and extending hiis legs. On the third day tlhe puilse was 48, regular; tlhe temperature IOO.4°. Thle bowels were confinied, but acted to calomel the patien1t usin1g the bed slipper. There was very sliglit discharge of bloodvy uid from tlhe wounid. The pupils were equal ; lie answered questions ; and there was no paralysis. ' On the fourtlh day the pulse was very rapid and irregular, 'and the temperature 103.20. Clheyne-Stokes respiration was present; the patient was unconscious, thle pupils equal and dilated. Thier6 was a g,ood deal of cerebral matter oni dressings. At 4 P.mz a marked chlange was nioted. The tempera-ture had risen to 105.20, the teeth were tightly clenched, and there was paralysis of right arm and forearm. At I i P.xi. the right lower extremity was paralysed and the pupils widely dilated. At 2 A..M. the temperature was IO8°, and the patient died at 4 A.M. Post-mortem A.vamination.-The course of the bullet is showln in the accompanying sketch. Having traversed the At' a. riglht frontal lobe, it cut a groove in the right corpus striatim, palssed beneath the corpus callosum into the left lateral ventriele, grooved the left corpus -striatum and optic thalamis, anid passed out of the venfricle at the commencement of thle left posterior cornu intO the. left occipital lobe, where it was found embedded in, the white substalnce half an inch from the surface. There were no,hIemorrhages. Weight of bullet, I82 grains.