New-York tribune., 1899-07-15
LOCEJAV AND LIBERTY.

The so called epidemic Of lockjaw continues,
with distressing results. We have not kept
tally Of all the cases, but down to the present
moment there must have been score or more
of them in this city and its immediate neighbor-
hood The course and ending of them all are
practically the same There are days Of lnde-
scrbablc agony probably as bad to suffer and
as horrible to see as any in all the history OF
human ills, and at the end death. How many
more cases will be developed one dares not TO
estimate 1t would be hoping against hope to
hope that there will be no more. There Will
probably be many more just like those already
recorded We do not say they will all be Gen'l-
inp or that all thus far recorded nave Deen
genuine 1t is possible that some have been
produced through fright There Is good author
ity for believing that some persons suffering
from slight and innocuous wounds have had
their minds and nerves so wrought upon by
tales of lockjaw as 10 produce factitiousy in
themselves the symptoms and results OF that
dreadful malady. That Is true In the cases OF
other diseases. especially Of hydrophobia chol-
era and the plague. But the fact does not alter
the fundamental principle Of the present s'ua-
ton.
The point Of paramount interest just now Is
that these cases Of lockjaw genuine or simu-
lated, have not only a common course and
common ending but they have also a common
origin. Every one. so far as we nave Deen
able to ascertain. is traced unerrngly to
Fourth Of July accident. The fatal wound was
caused by the discharge Of toy pistol or
firecracker. or something OF that sort. Such
wound Immediately treated with antiseptics
and properly dressed. might prove entirely
harmless. But in the very circumstances OF
the case II is bound 70 he neglected. and not
only that, but it is exposed to contamination
We leave to physicians the consideration OF
the character of the disease, and the efficacy
of various methods Of treatment The sufilcient
fact for the layman Is that. as a result OF the
annual debauch in noise and dirt, dozens of
persons are dying of one Of the most hopeless
and most agonizing diseases known 10 man.
How much more severe lesson will he
needed to bring the community to its senses Is
q matter of curious speculation. lf score or
two of deaths from lOckiaw will not serve,
would a hundred or thousand? The latter
number may easily he attained by judiclous
distribution of toy pistols II the burning or
q dozen buildings Is not enough. would the de-
struction cf hall dozen whole blocks do the
trick? Other cities have learned the lesson,
and acted upon il We suppose New York will
some day. But Mt what cost? For our part,
we should think the present prevalence of lock
law sufficient Liberty is fine thing. Indc-
pendence should he forever cherished and COM
memorated But il is quite possible to exult in
ones own liberty without trampling upon the
rights and destroying the comfort or one s
neighbors We are even disposed to think IT
would be possible to remember the Declara-
ton Of Independence and to maintain It's prln-
ciples without making one day In each year a
saturnalia of noise and stencil. and incendiarlsm
and death There is no profit for liberty or
patriotism in having n score or more OF men
and boys killed by lOckjaw-butchered to make
a Yankee holiday.