THE NEW WORLD OF SCIENCE 



" lock-jaw " when once the system has absorbed the toxins of 

 the tetanus bacillus, it early became the practice, which was con- 

 tinued throughout the war, to give a prophylactic or preventive 

 injection of tetanus anti-toxin at the first sanitary formation 

 to which the wounded man was taken, usually the battalion aid 

 or collecting station. This injection of anti-toxic serum was 

 made mandatory and each wounded man was so protected, 

 however apparently trifling the wound ; as a consequence the 

 occurrence of " lock-jaw " became a rarity instead of a common 

 complication. 



Though the incidence of gaseous gangrene was greatly les- 

 sened by early surgical intervention, cases which were seen late 

 frequently already showed the infection as well established, and 

 then the problem became one of control instead of prevention. 

 Various measures were proposed for combating and limiting 

 its spread, the most popular of which were the injections of 

 oxygen or peroxide of hydrogen, which gives off free oxygen, 

 in the tissues beyond the infected area, in the endeavor to pre- 

 vent an extension of the process. The value of these measures 

 is very doubtful, since tissues distended with the oxygen or 

 peroxide are rendered tense and their blood supply lessened 

 by pressure; in other words, tissues which are uninjured are 

 really damaged and rendered less able to combat by their 

 natural processes the invasion of the organisms; hence these 

 means were not widely employed though some surgeons claimed 

 that it was really beneficial and the gangrenous process was 

 limited by use of them. Unfortunately, often, when massive 

 gangrene had already supervened, temporizing measures were 

 too risky, and amputation had to be done as a life-saving 

 measure. In less severe cases, in which a muscle or group of 

 muscles only was involved, excision of the infected muscle or 

 group, as the case might be, resulted in the saving of both 

 life and limb. 



The importance of immobilizing for transport the wounded 

 part, whether it involves bone or is of the soft parts only, in 

 aiding to prevent or limit infection, is more fully appreciated 



