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Tetanus, also known as lockjaw, is now prevented by vaccine, but in the early 20th century it was still a surge that affected farmers and gardeners especially. Popular belief is that rust causes tetanus. It doesn’t, but the bacteria is found in soil, manure, dust and saliva.
The bacteria enters the body through a cut or a burn. The incubation period can last anywhere from three to 21 days.
A vaccine to prevent the disease wasn’t developed until the 1920s. Before that, starting in the 1890s, the disease was treated with an antitoxin.
Symptoms of Tetanus
- Muscles spasms or stiffness that begins in the jaw
- Fever
- Rapid heart beat
- Sweating
- Tightening of the vocal cords
- Difficulty breathing
- Muscle spasms that can last for several minutes and involve the entire body, some severe enough to break bones
- Headache
- Trouble swallowing
About 10 percent of cases are fatal.
How do you think farmers dealt with the disease before the invention of the antitoxin? Leave a comment below.
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