152 THE MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 



1. This great and striking frequence of blank cartridge wounds as 

 the cause of tetanus, when compared with the relative infrequence of 

 tentanus resulting from other wounds which are more common, and 

 which might be supposed to be naturally favorable to the implantation 

 and development of the tetanus bacillus, supposing it to be present in 

 the dirt to so great an extent as is required by the other theory. 



2. The fact that, while the dirty hands and feet of the wounded child 

 are considered by the opponents of this view to be the source of the 

 organism, it is an observed fact that tetanus results from gunpowder 

 wounds of other parts of the body less likely to be covered Avitli dirt 

 proportionately nearly as often as from wounds of the hands and feet, 

 and cases occur as the result of gunpowder wounds at times when the 

 ground is covered with snow and street dirt can. hardly be a factor. 



3. When we consider the sources of the components of gunpowder 

 and wads, it seems, at first view, highly probable that they may contain 

 the tetanus organisms. 



4. One observer has reported finding tetanus bacilli in two samples 

 of blank cartridges. Unfortunately his finding was not, so far as re- 

 ported, confirmed by animal experiments, and as others have reported 

 non-pathogenic organisms in gunpowder having a marked morphologic 

 resemblance to the tetanus bacillus, this cannot be considered as strong 

 evidence. I have also hearsay evidence that one experimenter has suc- 

 ceeded in producing tetanus in guinea pigs by discharging blank car- 

 tridges at them. This would be in opposition to the results of other 

 workers. 



In favor of the opposite theory, that dirt is responsible for the tetanus, 

 we have the following : 



1. A number of competent men have made exhaustive investigations 

 by culture and inoculations of all obtainable kinds of blank cartridge 

 wads and powder, and have failed wholly to obtain the tetanus bacillus 

 or to cause the disease in animals. 



2. Not all of the cases of Fourth of July tetanus result from gun- 

 powder injuries. 



3. Tetanus, from other causes than gunpowder wounds, is more pre- 

 valent during the summer months than at any other season. Wells 

 shows this by his seasonal curve, and it may be supposed to show that 

 the prevalence of tetanus bears a relation to the amount of dust and to 

 the other conditions favoring the presence of street dirt on the hands 

 and feet of children, who, of course, pla.y more in the streets in the hot 

 weather. 



4. Those places which show the greatest number of cases of gun- 

 powder tetanus, show also a greater number of cases of tetanus from 

 other causes, and in many of them the disease may be said to be endemic, 

 occurring also quite often in horses. 



5. The process of manufacture of the powder and wads used in the 

 blank cartridges, as described by a firm which furnishes a large part of 

 all that are sold, is such as efliectually to destroy all bacilli that may 

 have been present in the components, and any organisms present in the 

 cartridges must have come from a subsequent contamination. 



6. The blank cartridge wound furnishes more ideal conditions for 

 the development of the tetanus bacillus than any other form of wound. 

 The tetanus bacillus is anaerobic and grows best in penetrating wounds. 



