The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-23
WHAT CAUSES LOCKJAW.
4 DEADLY GERM THAT IS OFF VIDE
DISTRIBUTION.

called. is no: local disease affecting tho
muscles of mastication. but an acute general
disease in which the contraction al the muscles
OF the jaw or "lockjaw.' is only compara-
lively insignificant symptom Several differ
ent types may be assumcd bv this affection. hut.
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 a laccrated nature, and es-
pecially II dirt or any substance which has been
in contact with earth il allowed to enter the
wound. Following the inception OF the injury
IA period OF incubation is passed through. last
ing usually from ono to two weeks during
which tpe the wound will often appear to be
progressing rapidly and favorably toward a
perfect recovery. In reality. however. the
bacilli or germs have been multiplying AMI
producing their poisons until at the end OF the
period OF incubation the system Is no longer
able to withstand the products Of the baclln
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 distinctive consisting merely Of
languor. headache. loss Of appetite and dlsor-
dered digestion
Rapidly following the prodromal symptoms
the main features Of the disease begin to pre-
sent themselves. The patient complains OF
stiffness and feeling Of tension in the muscles
Of the neck and Jaw. gradually increasing in
severity until n continuous spasm or cramp of
the muscles OF masticatiOn results in produce
ing the locking Of the Jaws, which gives to the
disease its common name. The appearance
OF the patient at this time is truly pitifuI.
The features are mmohilc. the forehead Is
wrnkled. the eyes have fixed stare and tho
corners Of the mouth are drawn backward and
slightly upward. producing the appearance of
n diabolical smile called by 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 affected before those OF the back
Al this stage the commissions make their ap-
pearance. They are OF very great severity.
often lasting for a quarter OF an hour or more
and recurring frequently during the day. Tho
slightest disturbance, as the samming OF n
door Jar to the bed or even sudden draught
OF air. is often sufficient TO incite paroxysm.
When this occurs the muscles OF the back are
violently contracted. bending the body back
ward until II 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 aPonizlng OF lancinating pains. The
muscles Of the chest and abdomen from the
tension thus produced become rigid and hard
The respiration is hammered to such an ex;
tent that the face becomes blush black and
like whipcorda. As:the attack passes of. the
patient GRADUALLY relaxes and falls back utterly
exhausted; only to have repetition OF the
Fever is nearly aways present TO greses
to l12' Fahrenhct, and adding thereby to. the
misery Of the sufferer A peculiar condition
reached fatal tom @Se the eG aSe
ture has continued to rise for some time after
death tS This is explained on the ground that
sues WHICH normally supplies the body with it's
natural heat is continued to an exaggerated
q " n m nnf II Of fhn fSNvi
duced by the bacillus causing the disease.
Again. as the blood no longer .circulates after
death there will be less loss OF heat by radia-
The heart is usually affected, early, both by
| jected and by the poisonous substances cir
culating in the blood. The pulse ie irreeu-
| heats a minute. Throughout the attack the
patient never for a minute loses, conscious
of
tetanus is the bacillus OF tetanus. and in order
few words about bacteria in general may MAYBE be- Of
| interest Bacteria as a class belong to one Of
the divisions the scale Of e They
Is ut present known are very simple in structure.
Consisting only of small spherical or rod
as % o. which is Usually enVeoped in
an outer. denser layer. Of greater or less
ia some cases called the caps"ie ' They % are
OF microscopic size. the largest OF them meas
smallest being los 900 inch or less Possibly
fair average size might be said to be 1-l0.OO0
snecies are Just as distinct from one another
and follow out their life histories with as
TFfnt as sFS nS larger "%a e. Ns
which we are more familiar; As do other
nutrition from the substances with which they
are in contact. Hence we would be led to
h1t cernn soils you'd 1 parton
bacillus. and again in other soils it might not
be able to exc out an existence. Such is found
n a Ra inStn mr. hn VII
human body, and arc as far as We are con,
in animals; ne bacillus Of leprosy being a good
to certain bacterial diseases than others. for
instance the whites are far more subject 10
ences Of susceptibility are due to the ease or
difficulty with which the bacillus will grow
The bacillus of tetanus has been known only
short time. having been discovered by Nico-
In Sn IA or Ssa
ism II the wound OF a patient suffering from
small baciIIi: viii rounded snds. several
Is ' usually ''nS sPferica Ia' cnlargemsnt ' or
snore which gives the characteristic drum
stick" appearance It grows qHi,e easily "a on
blood serum and boulon; but. strange TO say.
| with the nnaarohic bacteria This fact Is
the only thing which prevents lockjaw from
| being one OF the most frequent and fatal dis
| cases as the germ is very widely distributed in
nature, but. owing to the presence OF the air.
| II is rrcvcuted from growing.
H. ord"rto grow It artiiir tally the air must
be first completely removed This il done IN
| a number Of ways. one Of the most frequently
resOred 10 being to substitute hydrogen gas
| for the air in the tube in which the bacteria
| have been put, and then to seal the tube to
| prevent the hydrogen from mixing with the
| air by diffusion. In its process Of growth \
| number 81 chemical substances are produced.
| known Collectively under the head II tctanuS
| toxins. which are among the most viruent
poisonS, known. mother the mineral nor
drH "" Sny9f even ven
ttrn.y.. II i? to these toxins and not
| the disease n re due. 1t hns been found hy'ux-
| pertinent that o0DuCQU gramne about
l-lU.uOO Of grain of these toxins will prove
fata} TO on" Silogram about two pounds of a
susceptible animal Tie fatal dose for a man
| weighing 40 pounds has b"cu calculated at
| u,Uuu23 grams Tor 3 900 OF n grain II will
| ho seen from these figures that the tctanuS
| l,.,,