This term is most commonly used in reference to the
injuries caused by
gunshots. The
human body is made of mostly
water in a relatively
closed system. When a high velocity
projectile strikes a body, it can damage that body beyond the obvious
hole it creates,
blood loss,
organ damage, the possibility for
infection, and
psychological trauma. The bullet's
impact creates an intense shock to the body, sending waves of noncompressible water
radiating from the impact point. The
shock can
burst blood vessels, damage or
rupture organs, break
bones, and
disrupt nerves.
Firearm projectiles that are designed specifically to create hydrostatic shock are generally banned by international convention. The Hague Convention of 1899 banned the use of dum-dum ammunition, which was soft and hollow and mushroomed upon impact. The contemporary hollow-point round has since succeeded the dum-dum round and is in common use in Amercian civilian and police circles, thanks to its hydrostatic shock capabilities.