COMMON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES. 
Tetanus, commonly called “lockjaw,” is caused 
from the invasion of wounds by a germ known as 
bacillus tetani, usually found in the soil near the 
surface. The poisonous matter is thrown off 
through the pus discharged from the wounds. 
We frequently meet with cases of tetanus caused 
by the patients having stepped on a nail protrud¬ 
ing from a board lying in their pathway. The 
nail has penetrated the shoe, entered the foot 
and carried with it particles of soil containing 
the germs. The bacillus tetani is said to pos¬ 
sess the power to do its deadly work in as short 
a period as twenty-four hours, and but rarely to 
cause mischief later than the tenth day after the 
accident. 
In the past few years a number of cases of 
tetanus have occurred after Fourth of July cele¬ 
brations, arising in wounds caused by toy pistols. 
Blank cartridges of these toys are said to con¬ 
tain the germs, although authorities are of the 
opinion that the germs are probably upon the 
soiled hands of the child before the accident and 
that they cause trouble in the wound afterward 
just as they do in other gunshot accidents in 
which tetanus arises. A law was passed last 
year in many of the large cities of the United 
States prohibiting the sale of these pistols. 
The throat and jaws seem to be the parts most 
affected when the symptoms first appear. A feel¬ 
ing of stiffness and sometimes of pain in these 
parts is complained of. Rapidly the stiffening of 
the jaws increases. Severe muscular spasms de¬ 
velop, at first in the muscles of the jaw, but soon 
to spread over the entire muscular system. The 
spasms increase in rapidity and severity until 
53 
Bacillus 
Tetani. 
Fourth of 
July Toy 
Pistols. 
Symptoms. 
