Lockjaw.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 76

Lockjaw.

Lockjaw, or tetanus, is an infectious disease produced by a particular bacillus or germ which occurs for the most part in the earth. It is commoner in some countries and in some districts than in others, occurring more frequently among negroes than among white people. The germ ie usually introduced into the system in connection witih some wound, being more common after punctured and! bruised wounds than aiter those which, result from. a out. The Ejrmptoms usually appear ■within 10 days of the injury ; there is first some stiffness in the neck, with a little tightness of the jaws and difficulty in biting. After a little while the muscles of these parfe become spasmodically contracted ; at the same time the eyebrows may be raised, and the corners of the mouth drawn out. Gradually the other muscles of the body become affected, re- | peated spasmodic contractions occurring, so ' that the back may become arched, causing ' the patient to rest upon his head and heels-. ' Spasms repeatedly occur and are associated with agonising pain; death usually occurs within a few days. The treatment is entirely surgical, and should be adopted without delay- Ithere is a good deal of diffe- i renoa of opinion as to the effect of the injection of tetanus antitoxin in these ca«es. , }

use of 6tovaine, it was at one time feared that thie drug was also too dangerous to use as an anaesthetic.

However, several 6urgeons were firmly convinced that they were working in the right direction, and a large series of successful operations at University College Hospital, London, was the result of further investigations. Since then th< surgeons of several other London hospitals, notably the Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, have reported^ favourably on stovaine as an anaesthetic. A special committee was appointed to .investigate the matter at the London Hospital, and the report ox this committee, issued only a *ew days ago, practically confirms the new system of anaesthetic as an advance on. chloroform and other anaesthetics generally, especially for patients with weak hearts.

The principle of the new anaesthetic system, is that by injecting the drug used directly into the spinal canal it immediately deacFen6 the nerves of the body just where they arise, and so stops all painful sensations. When this is done by experienced persons lihere appear to be no unpleasant after effects, euch as sometimes occur with chloroform. Even during severe operations under stovaine patients are conscious all the time, and say they feel quite oomfortaTßle.

There is no doubt that in the leading hospitals and amongst leading surgeons in private practice stovaine will he used witih increasing frequency in operations upon, patients whose hearts are weak, or when there is any other reason why chloroform or ether may be particularly dangerous. — Daily Telegraph.