The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-07-17
The Deadly Toy pistols.

4u0 OtAuly 4Oy ElbSOA"'
The alarming number Of deaths from
lockjaw which have occurred among
young people. and not a few Of men, in
various parts Of the country, since the
Fourth Of July. as the result Of the un-
precedented use Of giant crackers and
toy pistols, is becoming a subject Of
general discussion in the press, and the
result will likely be some strinOant
laws governing the manufacture and
use of such explosives. One thing is
certain, the toy pistol must be pro-
hiblted.
From many points daily there are
chronicled terribl' deaths resulting
from punctures caused by the explo-
sion OF the little paper caps, which con-
tain poisonous ingredients. Some Of
the pistols used required small car
tridges which made noise like a large
cracker. Most of the deaths from lock-
jaw have been traced to these toys.
Saturdays New York sur chronicles
four additional deaths in that city on
Friday others in surrounding COM
munitics, and othe: seTioua case OF
ioek-jaw in the hospitals, every one Of
thtm due to small burns received in
firing the pistols on Independence Day.
Many of them were cases Of young
boya the burns mostly on the hands
having been slight, but gradually de-
VeIopIng Into poisonous wounds and
ending up with deaths in terrible
agony. These reports do not come alone
from New York; they are being report
ed from many points. the peculiar fea-
ture being that. although two weeks
have pissed since the Fourth, the re-
suits are just developing. Dispatches
from several states give similar re-
ports.
The washington Star, commenting
on this subject. reports that many vic
tins OF the toy pistol, the giant crack
er and certain other explosives. which
have sent tetanus germs into their sys-
tens are in the hospitals, with slight
chances of recovery Even the new
serum treatment has not had much
effect in the treatment of the cases.
The Star pertinently says:
The primary cause Of these tetanus
cases seems to be the inicticn OF insignlh.
cant wounds by toy pistols. These tiny
gnnpplng devices composed OF some tul-
TnInatInE substance, ordinarily with Her-
curry base, Some OF these Eliminates con-
tain poisonous ingredients. which, enter
ing small punctuTes OF the skin, cause lr-
Fitation and often make greatly tntnmed
wounds II Into such wound a tetanus
germ should chance to be introduced the
result Is almost Invariably the disease
commonly known as lOCkjlw.
The germs of this disease are mysteri.
Ously frequent in certain localities, and are
little understood by bacteriologiSts. The
great danger is that the wounds caused
by the little toy pistols are apparently so
inslgniAcant at the time that they are not
regarded seriously, for they heal quickly,
thus leaving the polsons to themselves to
work out their mnlevolent functions.
The Star holds that the time has
come when efforts should be made to
reduce the dangers attending the fool
ish custom OF celebrating Independence
Day in the barbarIc manner which has
developed in recent years to an insult
ferable degree, and the sale to small
boys of new inventions with explosives
that they do not know how to handle
with safety to themselves and to
others.
In Washington the size of giant
crackers ls. to be limited hereafter. and
In several cities the manufacture and
sale OF thy pistols are to be prohibited.
OF courie 1t will be hard to enforce
remedies, but II nothing better can be
done. wlr should be made on the pIs-
tolls. They seem harmless affairs. but
the records OF deaths from Iock-jaw
from their use within the past few days
IS sufficient warrant for their prohIbl-
ton by law.