Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1903-01-07
THE DEADLY TOY PISTOL.
It's Use on Festive ccasions Res
ponsiblc for Many Cases of
Tetanus

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pistol contained the germs which when
they are driven under the flesh produce
locktaw. Before the isolation of the te-
tanus bacilli was definitely accomplished
In 1889, there was a theory that the germ
existed in the atmosphere, but the ac-
cepted authorities on the subject now
do not give any credence to that theory"
SOME RECENT AUTHORITIES.
An examination of recent authorities on
the disease brings out some interesting
facts in connection with the malady that
has been so prevalent and fatal during
the past ten days among young chill
dren who have been wounded by toy
pistols. Nicoiaier, in 1854, introduced.
some garden earth beneath the skin of
mice, and discovered the tetanus bacilli.
The germ is hearty animal. 1t was
not isolated in pure culture until 1889
when Kitasato separated it by special
methods. and found out just what it
looked like. The germ is q slender organ
ism shaped somewhat like a drum stick
and is hard to kill. Drying them in a
dessicator for months does not destroy
their vitality. Steam a: 100 c will kill
them. but when immersed in per
cent. solution of so strong a liquid as
carbolic acid for ten hours, the germs
Fl olic about like a water nymph In a Sc
questered pool
The negro is PECULIARLY subject to lock-
jaw, SO the authorities state. In GER
tain of the Antilles Islands. in Guiana,
Brazil, and other tropical lands, the in
habitants are attacked by tetanus to such
an extent that the disease often becomes
epidemic. It's said that at times in the
island of Jamaica from 20 to Is per cent.
Of all negro infants born die of tetanus.
The negro's preference for hot climates,
his social condition, his careless person
al habits, and his constant exposure to
the character of injuries that are known
tc be most often followed by tetanus.
are important factors in favoring the
frequent occurrence of the disease among
this race. The authorities state that that
disease is more common in summer than
in winter. The greatest epidemic of tie
tanus was reported last year around
New York Immediately after the Fourth
of July when toy pistols had done, their
work in celebrating the spirit of ITS.
INFLUENCE OF WEATHER.
Changes In the weather Of a sudden
nature help along the disease, and near
sly all the writers on tetanus before the
discovery of its bacterial origin thought
that the atmosphere was the source of
the germ, but the up-to-date authorities
pay little attention to this theory. ts5
The germ has been detected in the soil
of many localities, so the investigators
say. 1t is generally distributed in the
upper layers OF the earth, and in some
places 1t is much more numerous than
in others. It can be found in the soil of
gardens that have been fertilized with
animal manure. Clay is thought to be
a safe home for the miserable creatures,
and when they once find a resting place
there. they can live under the most ad-
verse conditions. So
From the experimental standpoint, the
disease is Of much historic interest, says
DR.. Abbott, of the University of&Penn-i
sylvania, ''for while investigating teta-.
nus, Behring and Kitasato made the OBJ
servation from which have been elabo-.
rated the principles underlying the, en1--
ployment of serum for the cure of dis
ease" Tetanus< cannot be communicated
from person to, person except by direct
innoculation. All dressings from the
wound where the germ entered should
be burned, and the most effective anti
septics should be employed upon the
wound itself.
II the penetrating foreign body, such as
a splinter or nail. should carry In
with It dirt from the skin, grains Of
sand, or fragments OF stone, the condi-
tions are peculiarly favorable for the! In
incubation and the development Of 1.-The
tetanus bacilli. says one authority Yan-
dell says that lockjaw is peculiarly fatal
TO persons under ten years of age.SAcute
tetanus usually appears during the first
week Of the period Of the Healing of the
wound. Some writer's believe that atmos-
pheric conditions favor the developm
Of the malady, though they do not ac-3
sept this as the origin Of the disease. =.
CHARACTERISTICS OF'THE DISEASE
A writer on the subject says that the
disease, when once: seen can never be
orgotton. It is characteristic Of pa
a:ent afflicted with acute lockjaw that
he musclesf of the face. especially around
he sElout'l Is. become fixed In such a. posi-
ion as 20 give the patient the. appear
snce of having a "sardonic grim. One
.hysiciln recites case where this Pc
suliar Disagreement remained for eleven
ears after the patient recovered. WI hen
ockja!w. or more properly tetanus. sets
~ at the end OF the week after the
round has been received there Is a
siif4ning of the muscles in the neck.
het muscles ofsthe jaw become rigid, and
u ssimpossible for the patient9t to bend
Isl chin; toward the chest The rigidity
81 the muscles along the spine and in the
hist andsabdomen Flows, $50 much 80
- IT. the patient cannot lie on his back
account Of the arching 5of the. spine.
most marked features of the harden
q 4gs of the muscles Is seseua n the fane.
abwever. that distorts the features be-
sS Ind recoeniti lon, producing q most weird
horrible expression OF countenancAs
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