TETANUS

Grey River Argus, 12 June 1935, Page 6

TETANUS

A SYDNEY DEATH. SYDNEY t May 18. AJarmed at the growing toll which the dread tetannsi is taking of the public, the City Coroner, Mr. Oram, who expressed concern that in the majority of cases the origin of the germ was obscure, saw fit to cross-examine a doctor so that the general public might reap the benefit of this knowledge.

O.n May 4, Albert Victor Jones, 18. of St. Peters, died in Sydney Hospital from tetanus?, but at an inquest no explanation could be given as to howl the youth contracted his com plaint. Dr. Kenneth Tamworth Hughes, resident medical officer of Sydney Hospital, said the deceased was admitted On April 30 and was found to be suffering from tetanus. He was given 4CXOOO- units of antitetanus' serum that day, and later a further 80,000 units. On May Iho was given another 150),000 units, and the next day 1200.000 units. However, he died on May 4. A post-mortem examination of the body showed that death was due to tetanus. There was a wound on his right hand, which was caused three days before his* admission to hospital, hut no bacillus warp found in (the wound. The father of deceased stated that his son had had a tooth removed m April 17«, hut the wound had healed

Dr. Hughes said the incubation period of tetanus was from a week to a month) and- while it was possible that the infection could have occurred through the extraction, it wa» imnrobable. “Tetanus very often arises through come very small wound/’ said Dr. Hughes), “such as .through a pin or a needle prick, of which no notice would be taken. The bacillus is not attached

to any other organism and grows in the absence of atmospheric exygen. Dirt is not necessary.’’ When the germ had obtained a firm hold at least 1/000,000 units of serum were given; but when it had obtained a firm hold it was practically impossible to save patients. Peroxide was the best antiseptic, but would be useless in the case of pinpricks. The doctor added that the first symptom of infection was small muscular twitchings around the site of the infection, together with stiffness of the jaws, the cheeks and neck muscle.