Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1882-08-03
Helena, Montana, Thursday, August 8, 1882.
LOCk.JAW.
Medical Opinion OF Fourth of July
Cases.
From the Baltimore Sun.

] From the Baltimore Sun.
The fact that there have been thirteen
deaths Of boys between the ages of 10 and
Is years this week from lock jaw tetanus)
and nearly all from wounds in the left hand
from the toy blank cartridge pistol, has at
tracted general attention to the subject. The
toy pistol most generally in use by boys this
summer is about four inches in length, and
explodes q blank cartridge in metallic case
with Il pastboard Or other thick paper wad
but carries 70 ball or shot in the cartridge
! In order to insert the cartridge the breech OF
the barrel is raised pressing on the finger
piece forward Of the trigger, but to do this
the boy takes hold of the barrel with his left
hand, the muZZle pressing against the palm
of the hand, near the ball of the thumb fire.
quently, and raises the hammer with mis-
right hand. In loading however, unless the
utmost care is exercised the hammer slips
from the finger and eXplOdes the cartridge,
while the barrel is held against the palm OF
left hand. The Illuminating powder, the wad,
or the metallic case infiicts the wound, which
is often so slight that physician is not call
ed in, even if the boy does not, Spartan-llke,
conceal his wounds from his parents until
he is past relief. Many physicians say that
it is not any special pungency or acridness
in the Illuminating powder which causes
lock-iaw, but that q larcerated or jagged
wound in the palm of the hand is more like
ly to result in lOck-jaw because of the net
work of nerves and the numerous blOOd-ves-
sells which cOncenter there and radiate from
that point. One of the largest of these nerves.
near the thumb, connects with muscles Of
the back of the neck, and susceptibility to
lock-j aw follows an injury to the nerve near
the ball of the thumb especially, as well as
to the other nerves in the palm. Some ply
sicians also suspect that the Illuminating
powder used in the manufacture of these car
tridges has a poisonous property which, infect
ing the blood, incites lock-jaw One at least
of the fatal cases from the use of the toy
pistol came from a hurt so slight at first that
the skin was hardly grazed. One physician
is of opinion that there is en- epidemic con-
dition in the atmosphere which causes lock-
jaw to follow so repeatedly such wounds as
are produced by the toy pistol. The toy car
fridge pistol referred to sells at retail for
about 20 cents apiece. There is smaller
make of toy pistols selling from to 5 cents,
which has no barrel, and, instead of car
fridge, small wafer-shaped chemical explo-
sive is laid on round plate on which the
hammer falls. No serious accidents have
been reported from these, though sometimes
when carelessly held too close to the face
the illuminate has inflicted Slight stiHging
In reference to the more dangerous instru-
ment an intelligent merchant says that as
long as they can be bought boys will have
them. For his part he would be glad if the
sale could be stopped everywhere, but, per-
haps, the only way to effect that purpose
will be to prohibit the manufacture of the
pistol by severe penalties.