Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-02
PERIL OF THE FOURTH
Health Officer Gives Timely Ad-
vice and Warning.
GREAT DANGER OF TETANUS
All Injuries Should Receive Serious
Attention.
PROMPT ACTION NECESSARY
DR.. Woodward Outlines Treatment for
Fireworks Wounds, Which Are
Likely to Result Seriously.
ACTION NECESSARY

Beware of tetanus from Fourth
OF July wounds" said DR.. William
&. Woodward today. The health
officer advises that every wound
which child may receive from fire.
works be treated seriously, no mat
ter how slight it is, for prompt treat
ment may save the little one from
I.lockjaW
In discussing the question with Star
reporter the health officer said:
From a medical standpoint Fourth Of
July wounds have a particular interest
because of their frequent association
with tetanus. Tetanus is an extremely
fatal disease. due to the growth of te-
tanus bacilli at some point within the
tissues of the body, and to the distribute
ton throughout the body of most viru-
lent poison resulting from sucH growth.
OF the acute cases, which may De saf1
generally to include all cases In which
the first symptoms occur within seven
days after the injury, 30 per cent end in
death. no matter what form of treatment
may be adopted. OF the chronic cases,
those in which the first symptoms are
slower in appearing, about 80 per cent
prove fatal. But while cure is difficult
at best and in most cases impossible,
prevention is comparatively easy.
Germs in the Soil.
THE bacilli which give rise to tetanus
are commonly found in the soil. Iirticu-
larly in garden SOIL in the ordinary dirt
of streets and dwellings, in Stable ma
nure, and in other more or less similar
substances. They are harmless until they
find their way into the tissues of the
body. Tetanus bacilli moreover, belong
to that peculiar class of bacteria that
do not multiply in the presence Of free
supply of air. ana. therefore, they
dangerous only when they find their way
into wounds from which air is excluded,
such. for instance, as lacerated wounds
in which deep pockets and sinuscs are
present. and particularly the deep, mar
row wounds commonly known dS pune
tured wounds And in the fact that
wounds due to the use of toy pistols are
commonly punctured wounds lies the ex-
PLANTATION of the extreme gravity Of such
injuries. When the baciili have. once
found their way into an eligible wound
it makes but little dill ;rence whether
the wound be large small: if the con-
ditions favor the multiplication of the
bacilh they are soon present in the ad-
jacent tissues in sufficient quantity to
! poison the entire system, and the poison
to which they give rise is perhaps the
most deadly known to science.
ne very moment d punctureQ or lac
Grated wound has been received, with the
possibility Of tetanus infection, no matter
| how apparently insignificant the wound
may be. an emergency, has arisen Of such
gravity as to brook delay and to toler-
ate no halfway measures. The case Is one
at once for treatment by a competent sur
geon. not one for the use of home remedies.
After the use Of home remedies tetanus
may not develop for after all, the wound
may not have been inoculated with teta-
nus bacilli, but after proper surgical treat
ment tetanus almost certainly will not de-
ve.op, even though incubation may have
taken place