The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1912-09-17
"SANE FOURTH
SAVES PATRIOTS
1912 Sets New Low Record
For Lockjaw Cases Among
CelebratOrs
BLAME BLANK CARTRID6 IS
Nearly 600 Fewer Non-fatal
Injuries This Year Than
In 1911

In III
This week. for the tenth consecu-
tive year. The Journal of the Ameri-
can Medical Association presents sta
tistics of deaths and injuries result
ing from the celebration of the Fourth
of July, with particular reference to
tetanus, or lockjaw, resulting from
these injuries.
Only seven cases Of tetanus were
reported this year as compared with
eighteen last year, seventy-two in
1910 and $50 in 1909.
Few Cases of Lockiaw
The ages of the lockjaw patients
this year ranged from s to Is years,
and all but one were boys. In five
cases the injury was on the hand: in
the other two it was on the leg. The
length of time between injury and
death was from seven to ten days.
Tetanus cases occurred in only six
states this year as against ten states
last year, eighteen states in 1910 and
twenty-fvestatesin 1909. One state,
West Virginia, had two cases of
tetanus this year. both occurring in
the same city, Wellsburg. Other
states having one case each were
California, Indiana, Massachusetts,
Michigan and Oklahoma. Illinois,
Missouri. New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which
heretofore have had so many cases
reported had none this year.
Caused By Blank Cartridges
Blank cartridge wounds, which
have always been responsible for a
large majority of tetanus cases, this
year caused all of the seven cases.
With full knowledge of this fact
and of the awfulness of the deaths
from lockjaw, it is entirely inexcus-
able if not actually criminal to toll
crate further the use of blank cart
ridge pistols. A larger number of
blank-cartridge wounds almost in
variably brings a larger number OF
cases of lockjaw. Do away entirely
with blank cartridge pistols, there.
fore, and lockjaw from the celebra-
ton of the Fourth of July will be
practically abolished.
Mortality in Tetanus Cases
Of the seven cases of tetanus re-
ported this year, six, or Sc per cent,
were reported as fatal as compared
with So per cent. last year, SO per
cent. in 1910 and "a per cent. in 1909.
Besides the six deaths due to tet-
anus thirtv-five persons were killed
by various forms of fireworks, max
ing a total of forty-one deaths, six
teen less than last year, ninety less
than in 1910 anu TIA less thanin 1909.
This is the lowest number of deaths
from such causes during the ten
years covered by The Journals sta.
tistics, and shows adecided improve
ment over previousyears. Thisyear
nine persons were killed outright by
firearms, seven by explosions of pow
der, bombs or torpedoes, two by
cannon, two by giant firecrackers
and seven by various causes, as blood
poisoning, explosions of chemicals,
etc. There were eight victims also,
mostly little girls, who were burned
to death by firefrom fireworks. some
of these being the so-called harmless
varieties, including very small fire.
crackers and sparklers.
Nature of Non-Fatal Injuries
There were 947 non-fatal injuries
this year, or 500 less than last year,
Eight persons were totally blinded
this year. twenty-one lost one eye