The evening times., 1899-07-29
From the New York SUM-

''lockJaw." is only comparatively insig-
nificant symptom. Several different types
may be assumed by this affection, but,
however all are produced by the same
cause.-The tetanus bacillus, or germ.
The most frequent type is what is known
as the acute traumatic," which follows
marked wounds, usually of lacerated ma
ture, and especially il dirt or any substance
which has been in contact with earth is al
lowed to enter the wound. Following the
inception of the injury, period of incuba-
tion is passed through, lasting usually
from one to two weeks, during which time
the wound will often appear to be pro-
crossing rapidly and favorably toward a
perfect recovery. In reality, however, the
baiclii or germs have been multiplying, aid
producing their poisons until at the end
of the period of incubation the system Is
no longer able to Withstand the products Of
the bacilli and begins to yield to their
ravages. This condition is now manifested
by the first or prodromal symptoms of the
disease, which are not especially distinc-
tive, consisting merely OF languer, head
ache, loss of appetite, and disordered 4iges-
ton.
Rapidly following the prodromal symp-
toms the main features of the disease be-
gin to present themselves. The patient
complains of stiffness and a feeling of ten
gradually increasing in severity until a
continuous spasm or cramp Of the muscles
OF mastication results in producing the
locking of the jaws. which gives TO the dis
case its common name The appearance
| of the patient at this time is truly pitiful
The features are immobile, the forehead is
wrinkled, the eyes have fixed stare and
the corners of the mouth are drawn back
ward and slightly upward, producing the
of a diahQIfcaI cyr1i1a Iod nv
the older writer's the "sardonic grin" The
| muscles of the back are usually the next
TO suffer although in some cases those Of
the abdomen and chest or sides are affect
ed before those OF the back.
At this stage the convulsions make their
appearance. They are of very great Sc
verify, often lasting for a quarter of an
hour or more and recurring frequently dur
ing the day. The slightest disturbance as
the slamming of door, jar 10 the bed
or even a sudden draught of air. is often
sufficient to incite paroxysm When this
occurs the muscles of the back are vio-
lently contracted, bending the body back
ward until il rests only on the back of the
head and on the heels In fact, at times
| the head and heels are nearly made to
meet producing the most agonizing of
lancinatng pains. The muscles OF the
chest and abdomen from the tension thus
u
The respiration is hampered TO such an
extent that the face becomes blush black
and the veins of the neck are made TO
stand out like whipcords. AS the attack
passes Off the patient gradually relaxes
and falls back utterly exhausted, only to
have repetition Of the paroxysm in a
short time.
Fever is nearly always present to a
| greater or less degree, often reaching as
high as ITO to 112 degrees Fahrenheit. and
| adding thereby to the misery Of the suffer-
| er. A peculiar condition has been noticed
| in some cases which have reached a fatal
| terminat:on-that the temperature has
| continued to rise for some time after death
This is explained on the ground that the
! chemical action or combustion CT the tis-
sues which normally supplies the body
with its natural heat is continued to an
! exaggerated extent, owing to the action of
| toxines produced by the bacillus causing
! the disease. Again, as the blood no
| longer circulates after death, there will be
| lees loss of heat by radiation.
| The heart is usually affected early, both
| by the great muscular strain to which it
| is subjected and by the poisonous sub
stances circulating in the blood. The pulse
| is irregular, very weak. and often as rapid
| as $50 to 175 beats a minute Throughout
the attack the patient never for a minute
! loses consciousness, the mind remaining
| clear to the last.
| AS has been mentioned before the cause
| Of tetanus is the bacillus of tetanus, and
| in order to understand the action of this
organism few words about bacteria in
general may be Of interest.
Bacteria as a class belong to one of the
lowest divisions in the scale of life They
are purely Of a vegetable nature. and as
far as is at present known are very SIM
pie in structure, consisting only of small
spherical or rop-shaped mass OF a jelly
like substance, known as protopiasm
which is usually enveloped in an outer
denser layer, OF greater or less thickness
forming limiting membrane and in some
cases called the capsule" They are O.
microscopic size, the largest of them meas
uring only 1-1000 inch in length and tn.
smallest being 1-25, 200 inch or less Pos
sibly fair average size might be said Il
be 10000 inch. Despite their small size
the different species are just as distinc
from one another and follow out their Lift,
histories with as great or greater accura
cy and as little variation as the large
forms of life with vegetable organisms, IN,
bacteria draw their nutrition from the sub
stances with which they are in contact
Hence We would be led to suppose tha
certain soils would offer particularly IA
Vorable conditions of growth for a givel
bacillus, and again in other soils it Nigh
not be able to eke cut an existence. Sucl
is found to be the case For instance. tn
large majority of bacteria are unable L
grow in the human body, and are as ia
as we are concerned, perfectly harmless
Again, others will grow readily in the hu
man body and not in animals, the baciIlu
OF leprosy being a good example of this
Cetrain races are more liable to certai
bacterial diseases than others, for instanc
the whites are far more subject TO yelloy
fever than is the negro These difference
OF susceptibility are due to the ease O
difficulty with which the bacillus will groy
, upon the given soil
The bacillus Of tetanus has been know
only short time, having been discovere
by Nicolaier in 1885, in the earth of an in
fected locality. In 1886 Rosenbaeh foun
similar organism in the wound of pa
tient suffering from the disease 1t wa
not until April 10, 1887, that the identity c
the two bacilli was proved at Koch's labc
, ratory. They are slender, rather sma
bacilli, with rounded ends, several time
as long as broad. At one end is usually
spherical enlargement or spore whic
gives the characteristic 'drumstick' ar
pearance. 1t grows quite easily ON man
substances, as meat, fish, solidified boo
. serum and bouillon; but, strange to sa,
it will not grow where there is any al
present. This popularity has led it to /
! classed with the anaerobic bacteria. Tn
fact is the only thing which prevents loci
jaw from being one of the most frequer
and fatal diseases, as the germ of ver
widely distributed In nature, but, owing |
the presence Of the air, it is prevente
from growing.
In order to grow 1t artifcially the a
must be first completely removed. Th
I is done in number of ways, one of ii