in Surgery, an instrument for extracting bullets out of gunshot wounds. This instrument derives its name from the inventor Alphonso Ferrier, a physician of Naples. It consists of three branches, which are closed by a ring. When closed and introduced into the wound, the operator draws back the ring towards the handle, upon which the branches... Alphonso, branches opening take hold of the hall; and then the ring is pulled from the haft, by which means the branches grasp the ball so firmly as to extract it from the wound.