The distribution of glass fragments in front of a broken window and the transfer of fragments to individuals standing nearby.

Normal household windows of three different sizes were broken with bricks and hammers. Fragments of glass travelling in the opposite direction to the blow were in each case collected from the floor, which was covered with loose sheets of paper, up to a distance of 3 metres from the window. The number and size distribution of glass fragments falling on each sheet was determined. The amount of glass found per square metre decreased rapidly with distance in an approximately exponential manner and the rate of decrease was usually less rapid for glass fragments smaller than 1 millimetre than for larger fragments. This effect was particularly marked for the largest window. In the experiments subjects stood at various distances from the window and their clothing and hair were searched soon after the window had been smashed. Glass fragments were recovered in each experiment but very few of these were larger than 1 millimetre. The number of fragments smaller than 1 millimetre found on a subject was similar to the number found on 300cm 2 of floor-space near the subject. In most experiments at least one glass fragment was recovered from the hair by combing.