158 



TETANUS 



published during 1897- 1899, gi ye tne following 

 figures : — 



26 cases, with 12 recoveries. 

 57 



36 

 22 



5i 

 10 



25 

 1 1 



36 

 7 



Probably the paper by Dr Lambert of New 

 York, in the Medical News, July 1900, gives fairly 

 the general opinion of the treatment, so far as the 

 subcutaneous administration of antitoxin is con- 

 cerned : — 



" To judge the results of any treatment, we 

 must compare statistics of any disease, before this 

 treatment was used, with the statistics after its use. 

 The death-rate of tetanus is variously given in acute 

 cases from 78 to 96.6 per cent. ; in chronic cases, 

 from 17.8 to 55 per cent. Cases reported in litera- 

 ture are usually reported because of some peculiarity 

 connected with the course or origin of the disease. 

 Hence, cases of acute tetanus that recovered would 

 be reported because it was unusual for them to 

 recover ; and cases that died would not be reported. 

 Hospital statistics, therefore, which simply record 

 the disease and its results, will give a fairer estimate 

 of the true mortality of the disease. Behring 

 reports the statistics of 716 such cases with a 

 mortality of 88 per cent. I have previously 

 reported 1222 war cases with a mortality of 88.6 

 per cent., and 280 cases occurring in time of peace 

 with 76 per cent, mortality ; but these last cases 

 seem to be open to the same doubt as expressed 

 above. My own personal experience with 35 cases, 



