EXTRAORDINARY DEATH FROM LOCKJAW.

Auckland Star, Volume XII, Issue 3354, 27 April 1881, Page 3

EXTRAORDINARY DEATH FROM LOCKJAW.

A MOST extraordinary case of death from tetanus, or lock-jaw, lias conic under our notice. It appears that deceased, a strong, healthy young man of eighteen, about a fortnight ago ran a nail into the outer lleshy part of his foot. As he met with the injury by jumping down from a height on to the iloor, it would seem that the wound was more than a slight one, However, no serious consequences were apprehended. The deceased went about his usual business, and medical aid was not thought of. How little anxiety was felt may be judged from the fact that deceased, last Saturday, shut up shop as U3ual, and himself drove home some distance in a cart, un Sunday he experienced a stillness in the bisk and in the muscles of the neck. He had too some difficulty in opening his jaws, but was ablo to take food. " Painkiller " was the only remedy applied, and still it was uot doomed necessary to send for a doctor. On Tuesday (yesterday) he wns left at homo under tlio care of a sister, wlio, in the course of the day, observed a change come over him, and suggested the advisability of sending tor a medical man, The deceased, however, said he felt better; but he died within au hour, apparently without pain. Ono thing sugt-cstcd by this very sad death is the necessity of attention to even small wounds, lt is probable that tetanus is of more frequent occurience in this country than in England, for liability to it increases in direct ratio with the heat of tho climate.