94 MODERN BIOLOGIC THERAPEUSIS 



TETANUS 



Historic Tetanus is an acute infectious dis- 

 ease caused by the toxin of the Bacillus tetani, 

 and is characterized clinically by painful mus- 

 cular spasms affecting first the muscles of the 

 jaw and neck and extending in severe cases to 

 the muscles of the body. It is a disease which 

 has long afflicted man, for the symptoms are 

 clearly described in the writings of Hippocrates. 

 In 1885 Nicolaier discovered the Bacillus tetani 

 and in 1889 Kitasato obtained the bacillus in 

 pure culture. Finally in 1892, von Behring and 

 Kitasato worked out an effective method of pre- 

 paring a specific antitoxin. 



Toxin The toxin of the Bacillus tetani acts 

 directly upon the central nervous system. As 

 in the case of diphtheria, the toxin of tetanus 

 is produced in some local lesion in which the 

 growth and multiplication of the specific bac- 

 terium takes place. Experiments by Doenitz 

 and Heymans have shown that the tetanus toxin 

 has a strong affinity for nerve tissue fixation 

 of the toxin being complete within a few min- 

 utes. According to Ehrlich, the affinity between 

 the toxin and the antitoxin is comparatively 

 weak, about 40 minutes being required before 



