The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1910-04-30
4 RIGHT MOVE.

The city council OF Salt Lake has
passed an ordinance prohibiting the
use of fire crackers and other explos-
ives within the city limits. but the
only regretable feature about the
framing of the new law Is that II
does not become effective until al
ter July fourth, next.
Nevertheless, the move is in the
right direction. In late years the eel
ebration of our nations birthday has
been conducted In way altogether
too strenuous, and we do not believe
our forefathers, the founders of this
great republic, ever intended that
Americans should express their en-
thusiasm for their country, or loyalty
to the flag to the extent Of endan-
gering the life and limb Of their fell
low citizens every Fourth, through
the unrestricted use and pernicious
custom Of using explosives of various
sorts.
The following 10 taken from the
American Medical Journal. under the
caption: Fourth Of July Injuries
and Tetanus."
For the seventh consecutive year
we are presenting statistics Of In
juries received during the celebration
of the Fourth Of July. with particu-
lar reference to tetanus resulting
from these injuries. Considerable ee'
fort has been made to secure reliable
data, and all serious cases have been
carefully investigated. 80 that, so far
a. the figures go, dependence may be
placed on them. We have received
Thousands OF letters from physicians
from all parts Of the country report
ing cases which otherwise could not
have been included In the statistics.
There are thousands of other cases
not reported, although chiefly minor
injuries.
There were 100 tetanus cases this
year (1909,) almost double the rec
ord OF last year, when rs cases were
reported. This Is the largest num-
Der since 1908, when there were 415
cases. It ID significant to note that
the number of blank cartridge wound
correspondingly increased from SIG
last year to 1895 this year, and that
the states having the largest number
Of blank cartridge injuries have also
the largest number Of tetanus cases
1. IL interesting also to state that
from blank cartridge wounds there
was a higher percentage of deaths
(1O.2) than from gunshot wounds t6.l
per cent?.
THE most common cause of thu
wound 10 the blank cartridge, and tn,
usual site Is the hand. This caus
60 more deaths In the annual celebra
tion Of the Fourth Of July than al
other factors combined In sevel
years 1914 deaths have been cause,
by this one factor. Most OF the vic
Tins were bright active boys age,
from six to eighteen years, and the,
were doomed to die the most. awfu
death known to medical science,
death the agony Of which ID probabl
not parallel even by the torture O
tn inquisition. II this annual sat
rifico were really necessary, 1t woul
be far more merciful to pick out tn
hundred or more youths each yea
and deliberately shoot them. Bu
this annual outrage Ia not necessary
1t IL entirely preventable. and th
prevention rests with our city govern
ments.
Besides the 125 deaths due to I,
Janus, 80 persons were killed by va
ious forms Of fireworks. making
total Of Els deaths. an increase {
50 over last year and 81 more tina
In 1906. Seventeen were killed GU
right this wear by firearms. 16 wei
killed by explosions Of powder. SIEVE
by giant firecrackers, seven by to
cannons, and seven by various eau
es, such as blood poisoning, by SIX
rockets. chemicals, ETC., while 81 we
literally burned to death by FIR,
from fireworks, many Of which wei
caused by the so-called harmless VI
ieties Of fireworks"
The killed and injured at the bs
tie Of Bunker Hill were only lat
as compared with 1922 killed and !
jured while celebrating the Four
OF July In 1909.