Swallowing a complete ammunition cartridge introduces two major health concerns: the immediate risk of physical obstruction or injury within the digestive tract, and the longer-term threat of chemical exposure from the components. A live round consists of four parts: the projectile (the bullet), the casing, the propellant (gunpowder), and the primer. The risks range from mechanical damage as the object moves through the body to the slow release of toxic materials, requiring immediate medical evaluation.
Understanding the Components and Chemical Risks
A complete cartridge is a complex assembly of materials, many of which are toxic if absorbed into the body. The most significant chemical concern comes from the projectile, which often contains lead, a heavy metal known to damage cells and organs. Though the solid lead projectile may not dissolve quickly in stomach acid, it presents a chronic risk if it remains lodged or if its surface coating is compromised, allowing for slow absorption over time.
Lead exposure is particularly hazardous because the body can store it in soft tissues, organs like the brain, liver, and kidneys, and eventually in the bones. Acute, high-level exposure can lead to severe symptoms such as convulsions, vomiting, and loss of consciousness, though this is rare with an intact swallowed cartridge. Even low-level exposure, which is more likely, can impair brain development in children, cause headaches, fatigue, reduced kidney function, and affect the nervous system.
The primer, a small explosive compound that ignites the gunpowder, often contains heavy metals like lead styphnate. Though the amount is small, this shock-sensitive substance adds to the overall toxic load and must be factored into a medical assessment.
The propellant (gunpowder) is a chemical mixture typically containing nitrates. These are not acutely toxic in the small quantity found in a single round but pose a risk if the casing ruptures. The casing itself is usually made of inert materials like brass, copper, or steel, but contributes to the object’s physical size. The potential for lead absorption remains the primary chemical threat, necessitating medical monitoring.
The Journey Through the Digestive Tract
The primary physical danger of swallowing a cartridge is the risk of it becoming lodged or causing perforation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The esophagus is the most common site for a foreign object to become stuck, particularly at the muscular sphincters. Symptoms of an esophageal obstruction include difficulty swallowing, a sensation of something stuck in the throat, drooling, or gagging.
If the cartridge successfully passes the esophagus and reaches the stomach, over 80% of blunt objects will pass spontaneously through the rest of the GI tract without complication. However, size and shape are significant factors; a cartridge longer than 6 centimeters or wider than 2.5 centimeters may have difficulty passing the stomach or the small intestine. Sharp edges or a damaged casing increase the risk of piercing the digestive tract wall, which is a serious medical emergency that can lead to peritonitis.
A typical timeline for a small, blunt object to pass is four to six days, though it can take up to two weeks. Patients are advised to monitor their stool for the object’s passage and seek immediate medical attention if they experience severe abdominal pain, inability to pass stool, vomiting, or internal bleeding. If the object lodges, an endoscopy is the most common non-surgical procedure to locate and remove it. Urgent removal is often necessary if a sharp object is involved due to the high risk of perforation.
Addressing the Risk of Internal Ignition
A common curiosity is whether a swallowed cartridge can explode or ignite inside the body. The internal environment of the human body makes the necessary conditions for ignition impossible. Ammunition is designed to fire through a specific mechanism requiring substantial kinetic force directed at the primer.
The primer contains a shock-sensitive chemical compound that must be crushed against an anvil by a firing pin to ignite. This impact creates the necessary friction and pressure to set off the chemical reaction. The human body, being soft and warm, lacks the rigid structure and concentrated mechanical force needed to strike the primer with sufficient energy to cause detonation.
The internal body temperature of around 98.6°F is nowhere near the extreme heat required to ignite the propellant powder without the primer’s initial spark. Furthermore, the moist environment of the digestive tract inhibits combustion, as gunpowder is not designed to burn efficiently when wet.