The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-08-31
The Deadly Toy Pistol.

The Deadly Toy Pistol.
There have been sixteen deaths in Cook
County since the Fourth of July from
lockjaw resulting from wounds inflicted
by toy pistols. A large number Of deaths
from the same cause have occurred in
other parts of the country. 1t is prob
ably within bounds to estimate the whole
number for the United States since the
Fourth at 200. This is costly sacrifice
to offer up to the tutelary deity of Nation
al independence. It is especially dis
tressing because it is unnecessary. The
toy pistol is by no means essential to the
proper celebration of the Fourth. MANY
National anniversaries have been OBJ
served without it; and we fancy that if
1t had never been invented or come into
the possession of the small boy the ex-
preston of National exultation and graf
itude on the last holiday would have
been not less. but more decorous than it
was.
There are two kinds of toy pistols.
One uses a small cartridge charged with
pure rifle powder, and similar in all re.
spects except size, to the ordinary pistol
cartridge. The other explodes deto-.
mating wafer charged with Illuminating
compound. The latter issupposed to be
the dangerous weapon. The illuminate.
OF mercury with which the wafer is
charged is known to be nerye-poison
when taken into the circulation. It can
be administered internally without Sc
IRONS danger. But if. it passes into the
system from the outside through an
ABRASION or cut, it will almost surely pro-
dnce leckjaw and ultimately cause
death. The toy pistols. are clumsy in
stfuments. The waters seldom. explode
promptly, and, even when they do, throw
Oh sparks and fragments that may break
the skin Of the pistol hand. If through
these wounds the illuminate of mercury
gets intothe blood, lockiaw is a natural.
result.
A Chicago physician speaking on this
subject to a reporter says: Il should
say that the waters contain mercurial
salt. Such salts are poisonous, and a
very small quantity will do the mischief.
TO induce ,tetanus two things are re-
CURED. There must be a condition of
nervous irritability, and a wound. Many
have said that tetanus can be produced
without wound, but this is not So We
recognize two forms of the disease toxic
and traumatic tetanus The first refers
simply to poison. People who have
taken strychnine in overdose die of
tetanus traumatic Tetanus means lock-
jaw resulting from wound, and say
it cannot occur unless there is a wound.
1t may be only scratch or a cut which
You would never notice, but it must be
there. In cases of strychnine poisoning
the hands are always involved, and are
rigid. In Atraumatic tetanus the hands
are flexible even up to the moment Of
death. Tell me whether the hands were
flexible or not in these cases and I will
tell you whether or not death resulted
from toxic tetanus That is, Twill tell
you whether or not it was poison which
caused lockjaw. A rusty nail (poison-
ous), piece of glass. even scratch
from a brass pin, may induce tetanus
where the condition of nervous irritable
Ity exists. That condition is aggravated
~ hot and damp weather Tetanus is
Tar more prevalent in the tropics than in
this latitude.''
There issthe best explanation of the
many deaths indirectly caused by the toy
PISTOL that we have been able to find. |
whether 1T Is the correct one or not. pa /
'ents will Devise to keep that dangerous |
oy, without reference to its construction /
n the manner in which it is charged. |
lway from their childrea. The world /
WI get on as prosperously and peace
IDLY as everif the toy pistol shall be wholly |
and its sale forbiddenby law.
The prohibition Of the sale of all explo- |
i've compounds to miners on the Fourth /
II any other day would be still more
lseful regulation. If the toy pistol /
hould accomplish this it might be for
'lyen some of the price which the people
4 the United States have had to pay for
heir experience of it.
None OF the medical books or mapa-
mes contains any record of any of these L
asses, which have been steadily increas-
ng in number since the invention Of the
ceursed toy, and it would seem that
one OF the physicians who had been
allied in to attend the cases have thought
worth while to give them searching
nvestlgatlon. Even had they done SO L
nd We're unable to arrive at any conclu-
ION, yet comparison of notes mioht
1ake some OF the points clearer and add
1st so much more to the worlds know
sdgge OF practical medicine. 1t is. how L
yer, not improbable that some steps |
Ill De taken in the near future to solve
le problem by experiment. NO with the 4!
artridges and waters on the lower ami, +
lals. Chicago Tribune. Il.