ABSTRACT
Historical Perspectives • E xp losive m ix tu re o f sa ltp e te r, ch a rc o a l a n d su lfu r d e sc rib e d b y R oger
B acon , 1242 • In tro d u c tio n o f firearm s in E urope in the 14th cen tury .2 • First recording o f a gunshot w o u n d by the G erm an surgeon, Pfolspeundt, 1460 • Inven tion o f the rifle in the 15th cen tu ry • Alleged “poisonous nature” o f gunshot w ounds (G SW ), 15th and 16th centuries • R e c o g n itio n th a t in ju re d tissues w ere c ru sh e d ra th e r th a n p o iso n e d , m id
1 6 th c e n tu ry • R e p la c e m e n t o f b lack by sm okeless p o w d e r a n d sm o o th by rifled b arre ls ,
1 9 th c e n tu ry • Revolver p a ten ted by Sam ual C olt, 1835 • “M ach ine gun” in tro d u ced by R ichard G attling , 1860’s • H o llow nosed bullets designed an d d istrib u ted from British arsenal in D u m
D u m , India, 19th cen tu ry • C av ita tion recognized as a p rincip le in w o u n d ballistics by W o o d ru ff 18983 • H a g u e C o n fe re n c e 189 9 o u tla w e d D u m D u m b u lle ts , m a n d a te d c o p p e r
ja c k e tin g o f lead bullets in w ar • “H ig h velocity” refined an d im p lem en ted (M -16 rifle, 32 4 0 feet per second),
2 0 th century.
