BULLET IN RIGHT SIDE OF HEART WITH UNUSUAL POINT OF ENTRANCE

A colored woman, aged 31, whose health was normal, was accidentally shot from a distance of 4 feet. The 0.22 caliber bullet penetrated the lateral margin of the right sternocleidomastoid muscle on the level of the upper border of the sixth cervical vertebrae. The patient did not know she had been shot until a few moments after hearing the explosion of the pistol, when she was surprised to find a small amount of blood trickling down her neck, and then to feel the entrance wound of the bullet. Although she had no discomfort of any kind, a physician was called, and, since he was unable to feel the bullet, he inserted a small wooden applicator in the wound, which did not cause any bleeding, but did not help to locate the bullet. Dressings were applied to the wound, and the patient was advised to have the bullet located by means