Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-28
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Copyright. zoos. by John Elfreth watkins)
TN total casualties il has cost us more
to celebrate independence during the
past ten years than it cost our fore
IT fathers to fight for 1t. The total
killed and wounded by the Fourth
OF July explosives within the past five
years has been 23.673. which is more
than the cost TO the allied armies. Of
Napoleon defeat at Waterloo. or the
cost 20 the Russians of the bloody battle
of Liao-yang, or that of Gettysburg to
the Union army. And if The casualty roll
of Independence day was as high for the
previous five years the total for the past
decade mounts up TO over 1900 dead and
injured-a thousand more than that of the
American troops throughout the entire
revolutionary war. We have no reliable
statistics OF Fourth of July accidents
prior 10 1893: but inasmuch as that year
marked the beginning of the recent agita-
ton for a safer and saner Independence
day il is reasonable to assume that the
FIVE years previous 10 that turning point
showed a casualty list fully as great as
and probably greater than that of the five
succeeding years. which brings lis right
up 20 prasea. writing. Indeed, 1t would
not be eXtravasant to venture the further
assertion that. in total casualties. 1t has
cost us more 10 celebrate independence
in the past seven years than it did our
forefathers to fight for II in the same
length of time.
The FCurth's death roll commenced to
fall off following the agitation az akened
by the heavy deaths due TO the celebra-
ton of 1909. which killed 466-over twice
as many OF us as did the Spanish guns AT
FL Caney and San Juan Hill combined.
and more than the Spanish sailors killed
at the naval battle of Santiago. All but
sixty of these deaths resulting from the
1903 celebration were due to lockjaw. and
publication of this fact set city au-
thorities to thinking and devising and
acting that the Fourth's death harvest
was cut down TO Isl in 1904. lS2 in 1919
and 15S in 1896. But last year il started
again upon the ascendant. the cost in life
of Independence day 1907 being 1874
But this nationwide crusade against
Fourth of July lockjaw has been so sue
cessful that whereas 81 out of every 100
persons killed as a result of Independence
day 1853 died of this terrible disease. il
caused only 3ile per cent of the deaths
of our last Fourth The New York au-
thorities set the example by commencing
to issue in advance of the Fourth no.
tices recommending the use OF lockjaw
antitoXin for all flesh wounds due TO eX-
plosives, and by announcing the names
and addresses of antitoxin inspectors.
who were to he on duty day and night
to administer this new treatment free of
charge.
The Deadly Blank Cartridge.
OF the 1.153 deaths due 10 the last five
Fourths lockjaw has caused 121, three
fourths of which have been due to blank
cartridges, whose explosion carries into
r5oUnds not only powder and pieces OF
"adding. but BITS of skin covered with
coil, the medium carrying the microbe OF
-.-siaw. This microbe is harmless when
c~po-sd 20 air. bur when buried Geep in
an area OF burned tissue begins its dead
Is work when the wound closes. PEysi-
Clans who as q resu4, OF the recent agita-
ton know more about lcckjav than be-
fore gee 20 / that every Fourth OF July
ToUnl into which dirt has been blown is
opened. cleaned out and packed in such 9
way that air can enter. and they follow
his treatment with an injection OF lock-
ian :ntitoz-iu FIVE 10 ten days before the
Ctsea-e can manifest itself.
IL the las; FIVE celebrations OF the
Fourth $50 people have been injured.
the annual totals rising from 3.9e3 in 1903
10 J;aS in 1906. since when there has
been declne-ici9 in 1907.
Almost IS bad as death have been MANI
CT these injuries. as. for example. Al
blinded IS of them totally. by these last
five celebrations All told $50 eyes have
been lost while 3oS people have had to
part with legs, arms or hands and l,ooi
with fingers. Last Fourth there were
three and a third times as many people
wounded as were american troops be
fore Santiago. Wound every citizen o
Austin. Tex: Bangor. Me-: Elgin. Ill.
Norristown, Pa. or Newport. r. L., and
you have about the same number OF