Cranio-cerebral injuries from Slaughterer's gun.

3 patients attempted suicide by a powder-activated cattle skull impacting tool (Slauthterer's gun). While captive bolt pre-slaughter stunning in pigs and ruminants is safe, two of the patients remainded conscious after the shot and survived. Despite much lower impact velocity (less than 50 m/sec) these self-inflicted brain lesions are as serious as "low velocity" (less than 300 m/sec) penetrating gunshot wounds, mainly because of impaction of bone fragments and the dynamic energy possessed by the bolt.