EXPLOSIVE BULLETS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 259, 12 April 1915, Page 2

EXPLOSIVE BULLETS.

USED BY AUSTHIANS. »R. 11. 0. BARCLAY'S" EVIDENCE. Testimony that explosive bullets Lave been used by the Austrian soldiers is given by [Jr. H . C. Barclay, of Waimate .Souti. Canterbury, in a letter written from England. Dr. Barclay was attached to the Btli Army Corns of tlie Russian forces for four months, and left Weinberg for England on January 1 I.iat explosive bullets were used there can 'be no doubt," Ur Barclay wrote. "I saw a clip full of the most deadly bullets. The 'bullet had a minute opening at the end, which was covered by a small circular shield, from w-nch a pm projected into the centre of the cartridge. To drop one accidentally on the floor meant an explosion; to drop the clip meant probable loss of a leg at least. It was generally believed that contact with the twig of a tree in flight, was sufficient to explode it. Ihe Austrians themselves frankly confessed to be very frightened of using them Of course, it was said that only 10 were handed out to a company as range-finders. If one happened, however to be at the other end yf the range, and half a limb or a joint were shattered to pieces, an apology hardly seems to incet the case." Writing of his hospital experience, Dr Barclay states that his chief work consisted of extracting bullets and pieces of shell and dead hone, and excisimr or cutting out shattered joints, rather than (imputations. The statistics of his wards showed -1 per cent, of deaths and 1 per cant, of possibly preventible death. The commandant of the corps was exceedingly successful at brain work, having had much experience in the Kns--80-JapaiK'so war. Profusion-; of the brain through holes in the skull arc commonly regarded as most hopeless cases to deal with, but they were successfully operated on quite as a matter of course. The bullet wounds principally dealt with J were those caused by fie 'conical and j round shrapnel and broken portions of j shell and cartridge. A bayonet wound jin a Russian be never owe saw. Dr. I Barclay adds that there was a marvel-1 lons iiiniiunil v from chloroform sickness,' thoueh gcnernllv the operations were j performed without any of! I lie pa i ient for the a naeslhetic. An ex- J , cellent appetite most ireiiueuUy result,-! Ed from the anaesthetic. I ,