New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-07-03
TETANUS CORPS IS READY.
Health Department Prepared for
Fourth of July Casualties.
HOW TO TREAT WOUNDED
Sane Methods Advised in Order
to Save Lives of Victims Of
Pistols and Crackers.

The Health Department is fully prepared
for sane or an insane Fourth of July,
Health Commissioner Lederle said yester-
day. in announcing that the department
had now on hand as much tetanus anti
toxin as last year The Commissioner also
said that inspectors would be on duty at
the head office. at Sixth avenue and 56th
street, as we'll as at all the branch bor-
ough Offices, during the whole day.
u have no idea what sort of Fourth
it will be- said Commissioner Lederle. but
the Health Department is prepared for all
emergencies
The following announcement by Commits
sioner Lederle was made public by the
department:
Notwithstanding the promising outlook
for a safe and sane celebration of hide
perdence Day in New York City this year,
the Department of Health. in accordance
with its custom of several years past,
makes the following announcement regard
ing the treatment of gunshot and toy
pistol wounds and injuries from fireworks.
'tSuch wounds, if not properly treated,
are likely to be followed by tetanus or
lockjaw. This is a very fatal disease,
caused by a micro-organism commonly
found in dirt. AS these organisms grow
only in the absence Of air, infection does
not usually occur in cases of open wounds
but generally follows puDctures or con-
tusions of the skin by nails, splinters and
particularly those made by exploded fire
crackers or cartridges, which carry or per-
nit the entrance Of the germs into the
deeper tissues.
THE characteristic symptoms Of stiff
ness or spasms of the muscles Of the neck
and jaw may develop within few hours
Of the injury, but usually do not appear
until a week or ten days later.
The treatment consists of the cleansing
of the wound and the immediate admins
tratton Of tentanus antitoxin, which is
specific in preventing the disease.
In order to prevent as far possible
the occurrence of this disease the public
is urgently requested to notify any Dor
ough office Of the Department of Health OF
all cases of injury occurring as a result
Of the use of fireworks, so that an in
spector of the department can be sent to
the home of the patient for the purpose
of administering the antitoxin. This SER
vice will be rendered free of charge to all
who apply.
Physicians may obtain tetanus antitoxin
at any department OF Health Office
Some of the inspectors of the headquar-
tiers "tetanus corps" which last year COM
prised about twelve men, believe that the
three-day holiday this year will find al
most as much need for the antitoxin as
there was last year. Previous to the
Fourth year ago more than fifteen hun
dred walls of that specific were sent to
hospitals and TO private sources. The de-
partment's announcement Of as large a
quantity on hand this year is made nearly
a week earlier than it was last year.
1t is expected that the blank cartridge
pistol will be well up in the list of causes
for the use Of anttoxin. just as it was a
year ago, and that hundreds Of youngsters
somewhere and somehow will be able TO
obtain small firecrackers TO hold between
the tips of their fingers with the usual re-
suit.
At any rate, three were killed in New
York last year and 321 injured. so there
might be a chance Of a much lower figure
this year following the sane Fourth agi-
tation.