CHAPTER XLI 



MICROBE OF THE LOCKJAW 



THE bacteriologist calls this germ " Bacillus 

 Tetanus." Plain English calls it the microbe of 

 the lockjaw. It is the sole cause of the lockjaw. 



The germ is represented in Fig. 74. In form, it 

 is simply a little straight rod. It propagates by 

 the production of spores. One end of the little rod 

 begins to enlarge. In it exceedingly minute round 

 balls are forming. They are surrounded by a thin 

 covering. As they grow, the end enlarges. As 

 they attain full size, the rod assumes the form of 

 a drumstick, as seen in the Fig. When the spores 

 are ripe, the covering bursts, and the spores flee 

 away, to form new rods and new spores. So, un- 

 der favorable circumstances, the multiplication 

 goes forward to any extent. 



This germ is a soil microbe. It is found in a 

 state of nature in the soil, garden, field, or road 

 soil. Or, even in heaps of manure. 



It causes the lockjaw not only in man, but also 

 in some of the lower animals, especially the horse. 



The only known way by which infection takes 

 place is by means of a wound. In order to pro- 

 duce the disease, the microbe must enter the cir- 

 culation, and it is known to enter the circulation 



152 



