While in a dory spearing fish in the Rio Nuevo, after a sudden lurch of the boat, a young man of twenty-eight fell on the sharp point of a harpoon, which penetrated his abdomen.

About one inch of the harpoon was seen protruding from below the tip of the ensiform cartilage; the harpoon was seven inches long.

It was found that the instrument had penetrated the right lobe of the liver; on passing the hand backward along the inferior surface of the liver, the point could be felt projecting through its posterior border.

On account of two sharp barbs on the spear-point, it was necessary to push the harpoon further in to disengage the barbs, after which it was easily removed.
Recovery followed, and the patient was discharged in twenty-one days.
Romme discusses the subject of punctured wounds of the liver, as a special text using the case of the late President Carnot.

He says that in 543 cases of traumatism of the liver collected by Elder, 65 were caused by cutting or sharp-pointed instruments.