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Charles Bell, 'Gunshot wound of the clavicle and scapula'

Bell’s catalogue entry records ‘ The musket ball is lodged in the back of the scapula this I took from the body of Capt…the ball entered in the breast, broke the end of the clavicle, entered the chest, and went across the lungs, broke a rib on the back part, stuck in the scapula the spent ball being nearly divided in two by the spine of the scapula; I was present when he was brought ashore in Portsmouth, in a very exhausted condition, and labouring in his breathing, he died the next day, which was the twelfth from receiving the wound. On opening the body I was astonished at finding the quantity of serum, which poured out from the chest, as out of a barrel, the lungs were condensed and gorged with blood, he could have been much relieved by the operation of paracentesis.’ The Corunna Oils, Bell Collection GC 13844.