Old West Myth vs. Reality: Bullet Wounds 

Wound ballistics always fascinates me. A friend made a comment one time that as a lad he and his brother were watching a 1950's Western. His dad and uncles who were WWII combat vets sat down to watch, but began howling when the hero got shot in the shoulder and kept on going. According to them that was one of the most incapacitating wounds you could have, affecting balance and mobility, and risking an artery, much as you showed.

When a peace officer years ago I was in a shooting with a robbery suspect. No cover, and we shot it out at 60ft. His second shot hit me in the sam brown belt, fragmenting upon entering me. It was a soft lead Remington 158gr round nose bullet. The suspect took two centered 357Mag 125 JHP in the chest. He was dead when he hit the ground. I was so pumped full of adrenaline I had to be reminded by my Sgt. I was hit. The bullet's main body was removed in surgery, however, a few years later 5 fragments had remained causing a second surgery. The pancreas was damaged leaving it at 50% function. Today, I have diabetes as the result, and digestive issues as well. I was told that damage took 10 years off the backside of my life. And that ridding a horse the next day is Hollywood BS. I was 28 at the time and in my prime. Was down for three weeks, and did desk duty for a month before I was released by the doctor for full service on the street. Being gutshot is no laughing matter. There's a 5" scar about 1" below and beginning 2" right of the navel from the second surgery. They gutted me like an elk. Well, that's my experiences with personal gunshot wounds. Hope none of y'all ever have to go through this sotra thing.

It's 4 am where I live, forget sleep, I'd watch Arizona Ghostriders all day.

Good Saturday Morning Santee. Thank you again for another look at the old west. Pew, pew

Having been the recipient of projectiles on more than one occasion, I can't fathom the danger of infection prior to modern antibiotics and disinfectant in that era.

I lost track of the number of times Festus got shot clean through the shoulder on Gunsmoke. Doc was a genius indeed. Maybe a bit supernatural... Best of Days to all the Ghostriders.

And I always thought get the victim drunk and bite on a bullet thing. Great job Santee. Just brings the point home small injuries could be catastrophic.

Another great episode! Dr. Goodfellow is regarded by many as a founding father of modern trauma surgery. Thousands, if not million, of lives have been saved over the years because of his work.

Saturday morning adventures. Arbuckles and Ghostriders. Pew Pew Pew

Great vid partner , love the Gunsmoke clips! My fave tv show. Been a Western fan all my life and the appeal of the old West if anything has strengthened over the years . Never been to America and now I'm in the twilight of my years I probably never will , but I carry the dusty plain in my heart. Riding the endless miles of prairie on an old paint with a six shooter on my hip , the unbroken horizon shimmering in the heat seems like the pinnacle of human endeavour. Really , we should have stopped there , it's all been rubbish since!

Leg shots are another one that seems to be considered safe by Hollywood, even though the leg is chock full of things that you just don't want to have a bullet in. I've never been shot, but I've been stabbed in the inner thigh near the groin. The doctor and surgeon both kept telling me how lucky I was to have survived because the blade was only an inch or so away from some pretty vital stuff on either side of it. Anyways, thanks for another great video!!

I hear there's this old myth that a Colt 45 revolver can go off inexplicably, but in reality, the trigger has to be pulled. Oops, somebody named Alec is trying to find my location....

I’ve often wondered why Hollywood chose the shoulder area. It’s a visual thing for the masses. Thank you Santee for another awesome video. I hope your recovery is speedy.

Hey Santee! This channels helps me relax more than any other! Something about the humor and the history just is the best. It's the only channel i find myself rewatching videos on multiple times! Hope you and eveyone who helps makes these videos are having an amazing day!

What an intriguing subject! Just some random events I've found interesting: -A man accidentally shot himself with a shot gun in 19th century, opening a wound to stomach. Physician closed wound in manner that allowed him to re-open and study function of stomach. He published his observations and it changed medical concepts of digestion. - A 'sniff' test, was given to abdominal wounds to determine if intestine was punctured. A punctured intestine would often result in peritonitis (infection of abdomen) commonly resulting in fever and lingering painful death. I actually saw one cowboy movie referencing this. -Almost all gunshot wounds don't always result in instant death as movies often portray, and wounded adversary extremely dangerous. While recipient of bullet could live a few seconds to hours, even days. Only a direct hit to brain stem would cause instantaneous death. Recall a few years ago when two year old strayed into gorilla cage and police sharp shooter had to make an instantaneous death shot to keep gorilla from possibly crushing child. -"Shot in leg wounds" ok since non-fatal, not only a cowboy movie myth but also movies and TV in general. A puncture of leg, especially at the femoral artery and bullet recipient can literally bleed to death within minutes. -'Shoot to wound" obviously another movie myth. -Not a gunshot thing per se, but in 19th Century as now, laws quite clear, pointing a weapon at someone was 'assault with a deadly weapon', displaying a weapon to intimidate was considered 'brandishing', killing someone in a 'consentual' fight (or 'duel') was considered 'manslaughter'. I've read numerous accounts in old newspapers of that era of arrests and convictions for such activity that taken far more seriously then than now in places like New York City, St. Louis, Los Angeles etc. with their more pro-criminal politics. Many cowboy movies as well as contemporary shows, perpetuate pointing guns or brandishing with a person finding out in real life that cops will arrest and courts will convict. There are plenty of attorneys on YT sites that can cover this topic. Anyway, as always, enjoyed video. Came across a book describing individual recounts of mid to late 19th Century. Lots of things described including accounts of auctions, which seemed to be quite the civic social event with food, speakers etc for the numeous people that gathered. Old West auctions of 19th Century might be a topic. (BTW: If you want more info on book I can provide it, I think you'd find it's recollections of daily life of era interesting.)

Not only was this interesting and informative, you are completely delightful. So glad to have stumbled across your channel!

Loved the old westerns on tv . Always thought the heros recovered mighty fast from gun shots. Really enjoy your videos they are so well put together and love the sense of humour. Keep Safe ❤Keep Well ❤

Glad you showed clips from "Gunless" a great and fun movie.

Another excellent video, Santee! My ancestor recounted post civil soldiers walking around with bullet inside them, and bullets coming out once the body is healed sometime later. What gets me in the movies is how chatty the people are when the bullet is removed. He wrote while doing odd chores in town to earn some coins, sulphur ether was used frequently in surgery, as most men carry guns and the doctor didn't want to get shot. But since bullet wounds weren't common, most of the time, teeth pulling, loaded cart running over a man's foot amputation, ingrown toe nails were the most common. But what really got the doctor nose was the body order of his patients. Another matter was the doctor wasn't chatty either. Anyways, excellent video Santee.

There are many channels I watch, learn and then mostly stop watching...this channel is one I always watch when new content comes out, it never gets old...love it! And while I'm more than a half century of age, I am still enamored with all things old west...actually more so now than in a long time. Keep up the good work!

There are a lot of unrealistic things in movies, healing faster than mosquito bites from bullet shots is one of them.

Lets get this channel to 100k in 2023! Its well deserved for and your hard work Santee!

Great info!

The hero being shot can be part of the plot and sometimes a subplot, but Hollywood & TV producers knew that audiences would accept the painful but non-lethal gunshot wound for the main character while supporting characters died in an Old West story where almost everyone's carrying guns of some sort. It's that action and gunplay the audiences saw that made it a hit. The formula was even used & found in Star Trek, a displaced western, when you saw the guy in the red tunic, you knew he was gonna die while Bones would use his special gadgets to save the main characters.

I would love to see a dramatic Western series based around Dr Goodfellow. Gila monsters and all.

Wow so informative and interesting. Thank you for another great video Santee!

My great grandfather was a country doctor. They typically only had 1-2 years of education and yet they were pretty knowledgeable about the maladies country folks often suffered with. Shootings happened but not nearly as often as portrayed in the movie and most died before they ever saw a saw bones

Finally someone educates non gun people on real life. I told my kids and girlfriends kids old Slim got hit in the shoulder and was up and around the next day with his arm in a sling. Told them Slim would be lucky if he didn't bleed out or have his arm amputated if he survived at all. To make my point took a milk jug of water and hit it with a 12ga slug, yup-blowing the head off wasn't an exaggeration.

Back then they were also beginning to develop better pain treatment for the victim. During the Civil War, most analgesics were just laudnum which is opium tincture with alcohol. But in the 1870's, morphine was more widely used. This was a godsend for people with horrific injuries.

Great video, Santee, as always! And I like the Van Dyke, it looks great on you! I always got a kick out of a gunshot victim saying "It's only a flesh wound." I can't imagine it would be that easy to ignore!

I watched Gunsmoke as a six year old kid. Marshall Dillon got shot in the arm or leg every single week. He always said" it's just a flesh wound, Doc".

Thank you so much Santee, I just love your video editing. You are amazing. Happy New Year.

Hey Santee, always enjoy your videos. I didn’t hear you mention this and read several comments and didn’t see anyone talk about the idea that a lot of infection came from those large, comparatively slow moving hunks of lead pulling filth into the would. Since bathing and clean clothes were not a regular thing hunks of dirt and filthy clothing will get pushed into the would and disbursed making it virtually impossible to clean out. Personally I suffered a puncture wound on my foot during a hunting trip several years ago and even with modern medical treatment and antibiotics I almost lost my leg and still suffer from having lost a lot of muscle tissue which died from the infection, also suffered nerve damage. My permanent limp is now part of my cowboy action shooting persona. See you on down the trail pard!

Thanks for another great episode!

Great video Santee

Another good one pard. I hope this New Year brings out great country together again. I ride for the brand. Nothing but respect for you guys.

Great video and excellent information. Thanks Santee!

Excellent video, as always. Thank you!

"I got a better idea." Famous last words! 😆

Santee, once again, thanks for the FANtastic visuals and videos to correlate with that gruesome subject. YIKES, I guess that we shouldn't complain about a doctor's visit today. 👏🙏🏼👏😳

Another great video! It just seems I started to watch it and it was over . Looking forward to the next one. 🤠🤠🤠🤠🤠

I just discovered your channel. Great info and I love your humorous vfx!

Pretty sure a Dentist named Holiday was the best known doc in Tombstone

Thanks for the great new video. Very cool topic. Be safe out there, and take it easy man.

Another interesting and informative video. Thanks as always my friend.

Thanks for the clips from Gunless, a riot of a movie shot (no pun intended) nearish my home in the BC interior

Great as Always !!!!!

A decade ago while on duty I was shot at point blank range with a 9mm. The bullet hit my vest stopping the bullet , but I pissed blood for the better part of a month since it impacted by my spleen. Hurt like Hell too.

Damn man how are you great on timing I was just looking at your playlist for videos and you upload a new video and especially about action and violence im gonna enjoy this video myth vs reality is my favourite topic

It's a miracle someone could be shot maltiple times and servive,case in point,Hank vauhan at his autopsy had 13 bullet wounds.he finely died when his horse fell on him.

Another story I heard about Garfield's assassination was that the new X-Ray machine was new and close by and would have helped the doctors locate the bullet in him instead of probing with dirty fingers and intraments. Remember, back then, doctors washed their hands after surgery not before.

When I was a kid...60's...my older brother and his friends were fooling with someone's dad's 'Derringer'. Well, it went off in my brother's hand and took a big piece of meat (no bone) off one of his fingers. He didn't tell anyone for a few days...we'll the finger became infected. He didn't lose any function I'm aware of, but the doctor left it open to heal from the inside out. He had to soak it several times daily until it healed. Way I figure it, between the bullet ripping his finger up and the flash burn from the powder it must've been painful. As I recall, it quieted him down for a while. Oh, my dad had a way of looking at you so you know just how much of a fool you were. All us kids got that look at one time or another. I'm sure my brother got one for this stunt. I guess there's a reason dad kept his guns at my uncles when we were young.

Fun fact: a 36 caliber ball = 1 piece of 000 buckshot.

Never long enough. Need more details. :) Thank you and have a good day.

I love this channel you use certain movie scenes to explain history

Great bit of history. Thanks for sharing

Loved it!

Good episode I’ll watch you tonight on the 11 bang bang channel

Is it me or is Old dirty Dan sheddin some of his Tallow? I swear he used to be as big as a buffalo, he's looking swifter than a gant antelope everyday.

Oh hey, this is in our wheelhouse.

Really interesting & informative! 🤠

Thanks again Santee & Co.

What always gets me about westerns is the idea that a bullet either causes instant death or causes a wound that fully heals in a couple of days.

As a hunter I can attest to the nasty nature of bullet wounds caused by soft lead projectiles. A 54 caliber soft lead conical of around 400 grains causes absolute havoc, especially when it hits bone

My favorite line is, "it's only a fleash wound" or, "the bullet just grazed me"

I've always amazed at how old western movies and TV westerns trivialized bullet wounds. As you note, a bullet in the shoulder/arm/leg/hand, was not lethal. A frequently heard comment was "the bullet passed clean through and missed the bone". You'll be OK in a day or two. The gunshot victim places his hand over the wound, often with a cloth/bandage, and soon recovers. I think Marshal Dillon was shot at least 100 times, none of which proved fatal. Hands, legs, stomach, shoulders, back , et al. He had remarkable powers of recuperation - due in no small part to Doc Adams' amazing surgical skills. I guess, even in the mythical world of movie/TV westerns, a bullet through the brain was considered fatal. Looks at the multiple bullet wounds Clint Eastwood suffered in "Hang 'Em High" - literally shot to pieces - and survived with no side effects.

Dr George Goodfellow needs an episode of his own. Better yet a documentary. A doctor well ahead of his time.

I was a surgical technician for 45 years. I worked in hospitals across the country as a traveler. I've worked on many gunshot wounds and infections. Gunshots are not pretty and the blood loss keeps you weak for months. Infections smell hits you in the face like a punch. Anesthesiologists keep smelly stuff to put on your mast so you don't puke. And this is in a clean sterile environment where the air in the room is recycled every 10 minuets. At least those guys were out side.😃

One thing that bothered me worse than gun wounds healing too quickly was when a movie set in 1868 has 1873 rifles and revolvers in it.

It’s been theorized that Lincoln might have survived being shot in the head but several doctors poked their fingers in the wound trying to find the bullet.

My personal favorite movie gunshot wound is when one of the good guys gets shot in the shoulder, then the hero declares, "It went all the way through. You'll be all right." And to the hero's credit, they always are, after all, passing through the bones, tissue, ligaments, veins, arteries, cartilage and what not is not a problem as long as the bullet doesn't hang around.

Enjoyed that. Movies seem to have shaped so many misperceptions. Good one 👍 🤠

There's a wall in St Mary's on the west side of Tucson decorated with historical photos. One is from the late 1800's of the hospital surgeon who also specialized in abdominal gunshot wounds, too (per the photo description).

I am happy AND pissed. Happy to see this in my feed, pissed that the YT algorithm hasn't shown me your great content for months. MONTHS! I had to check back to your channel, and there it all is. Why didn't I, a subscriber, see any of it??? ANYhoo... thanks for making this. Now I have to go binge-watch. Fortunately, it's the weekend, I am single, and ain't nobody to tell me no.

In the case of the Garfield assassination, death was largely the result of their not being able to locate the bullet. Alexander Graham Bell, of telephone fame, had in fact invented an early electronic metal detector that was used and, in all likelihood, would have worked had Garfield's bed not been fitted with one of the first metal box springs. This badly interfered with Bell's device but, not being aware of the box spring, Bell failed to understand why the device wasn't working properly. He discovered the problem a few days later but Garfield died before he could make another attempt.

One of your best.

A grim subject made amusing by your insight. I read an account of an army surgeon on the frontier, regarding arrow wounds: he noted that the sinew and ligement used to fasten the stone arrowhead to the shaft began to soften when imbedded in a victim & usually separated head from shaft when any force was applied to the shaft. Many that were so wounded carried the arrowhead for life.

It was my understanding that infections resulting from gunshot wounds and other injuries were much more likely to kill a person than the original wound back in the day. Sterilization of utensils used, antiseptics and of course antibiotics were either totally unavailable or largely unknown.

“I LIKE IKE” on Pres. Garfield was TOO FUNNY!!! Thanks for yet another classic!!!

Wow! Great video!

Wa-a-ay back in the 70s, I remember the great folk singer Derroll Adams telling our folk club in England he thought Guiteau must have been trying to blow President Garfield's brains out.

If anyone has ever had rotator cuff surgery, you know how much your arm is incapacitated and that's after the doc fixed it.

Santee!!! A huge congratulations to the channel for hitting g100K subs!!!

Otro interesante informe como siempre Mr.Santee. Agradecido desde ya por el video..... Y le deseamos una pronta recuperación de su "accidente ".🏥🔫👍😀

An other video well done. Thanks. The show "Dual Survival" did a demo of how well cauterizing a wound with gunpowder works. One partner cut himself with a knife they alledgely "sterilized". After that they applied gunpowder and tried to light it. They had difficulties to light it as fluids seeping from the wound got the powder wet (gunpowder is about 75% salpeter and draws fluids fast). The wound still got infected. Considering that the cut was fairly shallow and barely bleeding, I´d guess that a deep, bleeding gunshot wound cannot be cauterized that way in the first place.

Very entertaining. Can't believed I learned so much.

I remember reading somewhere that an 1800s gunshot to the trunk usually was fatal due to wound or infection, and that a gunshot to an extremity likely would have that extremity amputated. "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" shows a ton of Civil War soldiers without arms, without legs, to get this point across, great anti-war film. Even the guy shot by Tuco in the beginning lost his arm from being shot.

Very interesting video. Really learned something.

Went to a re-enactor seminar,a real life Dr. that played a period Dr. explained that some of the wounds back then would be challenging even to modern medicine . Still enjoy some of the old westerns sometimes though . Great video !

OK Santee, how the heck do you come up with the topics. You got me stomped. HAHAHA. Love it. 👍👍👍👍

4:56 I wholeheartedly agree. Hollywood westerns give an extremely distorted view of history.

Remarkable how you take such a dangerous and painful subject such as gunshot wounds and Monty Python it

That was a topic i had to research for a fanfiction i write. It got me to believe that one better isn't on the receiving end of a gun no matter where it hits you! Please make some about arrow wounds too!

I'm amazed at the number of actors that were terrible riders.

i always thought that amputation out west was dependent upon hitting bone or not: if it hit bone then there’s shrapnel everywhere and no way to repair it, it’s just way too jagged. it’s not a clean break, so only way to save the life is to amputate. if it hits flesh it can be removed but you’re hurt for weeks if not months- maybe the rest if your life if it hit a ligament or tendon that needs surgery to repair

I believe that if you were shot it is imperative that all the organic materiel from your clothing be removed, cotton from your shirt may be pushed into the wound by the bullet and that will, if not removed, cause infection.

Recent ballistic testing on simulated human torso shows that those old slugs and round balls expanded and did so really nasty things to those old dudes .

'tis but a flesh wound. Another great episode Santee.

"Doc" Adams could patch up almost anybody.

I have personally seen people get shot and keep fighting as if nothing at all happened. People can be remarkably hard to kill in the moment, where adrenaline is strong enough to keep someone on their feet and fighting even after their heart stops beating.