Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-02
DEATHSFROM TETANUS
" IN
Ninety Per , Cent Of Cases
Caused by Toy Pistol.
INDEPENDENCE DAY
SPECIAL REPORT MADE TO THE
HEALTH OFFICE.
Cause, Prevention and Treatment Of
"Fourth Of July Tetanus''-
Duty Of Parents.

special report. prepared by DR.. R. L. Lynch.
relative to the cause. prevention and treat
ment Of Fourth of July tetanus. In his
report Dr. Woodward says in substance:
More than 400 fatal cases of tetanus re-
sulting, in the United States, from the cele-
bration Of the Fourth Of July. 1903. were
reported last year. and over 30 per cent
of these were caused, by wounds received
from toy pistols, The term .toy pistol is
applied to a cheaply constructed, single
barreled pistol, made to discharge blank
cartridges, and does not include the COM
paratively harmless paper cap pistols. The
latter type does not produce injuries likely
to cause tetanus: Many investigators have
spent much time and labor in attempts
to prove Just why wounds made by the
toy pistol are SO frequently followed by
tetanuS. -
meteorological examinations of the
powder, waddinge and shells have been
made and apparently only one investigator
claimed to have found the tetanus bacillus
present In these materials.
Looking over the seasonal curve of
tetanuS, 1t Is noted that more cases occur
In midsummer than during any other time
or the year Ceases directly attributed to
Fourth Of July injuries excluded 1t will
thus be seen that punctured or penetrating
wounds received during the celebration Of
the Fourth OF July are more likely to be
followed by tetanus than similar wounds
occurring during. the winter season
The Tetanus Bacillus.
The tetanus bacillus appears to be wide
ly distributed and has been found In the
superficial layers Of the soil, in temperate
and tropical regions, Sternberg produced
tetanus in rabbit by injecting beneath it's
skin a little mud from the street cutters
In New ORLEANS: Nicolaier produced tetanus
NJ q and t>I Il, a.
earth beneath their skin. 1t is therefore
not unreasonable to- presume that tetanus
paclii are present in the dirt and dust
on the hands and clothing of the children
receiving theawourids.
Naturally, the best method of nrayen-
ton would be- to render the purchase and
use OF toy pistols and blank cartridges NOT
only unlawful as they are at present. but
not being practicable at this time. it is in
cumbent on parents and guardians to see
that the children over whom they have
control are not permitted TO Ise these
death-dealing toys;s furthermore, as the
dlscharglng of freafms-and the toy pistol
is a firearm-wfthin the fire limits of the
District OF Columbia without special per-
nit from the major and superintendent Of
police is a violation of the police regula-
tions. punishable by fine of mot less
than 81 nor more than $40" it is the DUTY
of every good citizen noting such viola
tions to report them to the police officers
for such action as may be necessary. In
this way the use of the toy pistol may be
materially limited and possibly many per-
sons saved from a horrible death
The Toy Pistol Wound.
I'm the event Of a wound from toy pis--
toll having been received, surgeon, or a
physician who fully realizes that surgical
cleanliness is prime requisite in the
treatment of these cases, should be con-
suited at once. Even in the most trivial
cases, if tetanus is to be prevented, surgi-
cal cleanliness must be secured In treat
ing every accidental wound the wound and
the skin about It should be cleansed thor
oughly. and II the wound is extensive or
deep it should be kept open so as to permit
the entrance of air. through proper dress
ings. of course, and the discharge Of any
secretions which may be present.
I'm every such wound the skin over a
wide area should be thoroughly scrubbed
and subsequently washed with an effective
antiseptic under the personal supervision of
a competent physician. The wound should
be laid widely open to the bottom foreign
substances removed, such as wadding. par
tcles of clothing, dirt, etc; the wound
scraped with a curette; every particle Of
powder-stained and ragged tissue cut
away; irrigated with one to five hundred
mercuric Chord solution: bleeding arrest
ed; the wound packed with iodoform gauZe;
dressed antiseptfcally and maintained at
thorough cleansing and disinfection it may
be necessary to use an antiseptlc, either
local or general, and render the field OF
operation as nearly bloodless as possible by
the application of a constructor. Tetanus
antitoxin is used by many physicians, and
good results are said to follow Its admins
tration. The familiar adage that An
ounce of prevention is worth pound of
cure is however, especially applicable
far as relates to the use of this remedy.
repeated experiments have demonstrated
beyond peradventure that tetanus anti
toxin Is much more effective as a pre-
VentiVe than as cure.
Danger of Lockjaw.
'It is essential that parents fully realize
that every Fourth Of July wound, whether
| made by blank cartridge or exploding
crackers or fireworks. possesses great pos
sibiities of causing lockjaw and requires
skillful surgical care and the final bandage
should not be applied. until the wound has
been made surgically clean and has been
properly dressed. "Ss
by keeping ytey ,pistols and blank car
| tridges out Off the hands of children and
| exercising a personal supervision over the
use of fire crackers, fire works, ETC.. much
can be done by parents to avert the awful
| consequences which, with shocking regu-
| larity, accompany. and follow the celebra-
| ton of the Fourth of July
| Killed Woman, to Save Her From Sin.