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Show TIMELY WARNING Warnings to beware of toy pistols, cannon crackers and death-dealing tiieworks on the Fojrth of .July are given by the Jounal of the American Medical association In a recent issue. The danger of tetanus or lock-jaw from wounds lcsultlng from the cole-pratlon cole-pratlon of Independence day is pointed point-ed out and parents are urged to watch their children closelv to prevent accidents. acci-dents. Tho Journal says: 'In liW3the Fourth of .Inly tribute was 4US dead and 3.U83 Injured: In 11)01 it was 183 dead and 3,0Srt Injured. The first year the reported cases of tetanus numbered 415. while last year there were but 105. Within ono year the deaths from tetanus were reduced oy",i percent., although the deaths from other causes were inceased over 10 per cent . and the total number of recorded injuries were practically unchanged. un-changed. "Our aualj sis of the epidemics of previous pre-vious years made It evident that the chief reason for the great tetanus mortality lay In a lack of appreciation apprecia-tion of the danger that lies In every blank cartridge wound and the need for vigorous and skilled treatment Immediately after Its reception. Just befoie the last Fourth of July a vigorous vigor-ous campaign of education on this point was carried on tluoughout the country by both the medical and tho lay press, and to this cause alone can be attributed the great reduction In tetanus moitalltv. Tho average parent par-ent learned that a blank cartridge wound was a serious injury that need- --?- cd surgical attention; the average physician learned that simple dressing of -such wounds was little better than nothing at all and that thorough surgical sur-gical cleansing with prophylactic Injections In-jections of tetanus antitoxin were required. re-quired. The city father and thesmall boy seem to have profited somawhat (also, because for one reason and another, an-other, the number of wounds from blank cartridges fell nearly one-third In the reports, although the less tena-uus tena-uus dangerous wounds from llrc-crack-ers, cinnons, display fireworks and bullets all Increased markedly." Wc arc now facing another celebration celebra-tion of Independence day and wondering wonder-ing what it will bring forth. Shall wc profit by the gain of last year or, lulled lull-ed by this success, shall wc relapse Into In-to the old condition? |
