Tetanus historical perspective
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Usama Talib, BSc, MD [2]
Overview
In 1884 Carle and Rattone discovered tetanus by injecting animals with pus from a patient who had died of neuromuscular spasticity. In 1924, Descombey developed the tetanus toxoid, which was extensively utilized in the second world war.
Historical Perspective
In 1884 Carle and Rattone discovered tetanus by injecting animals with pus from a patient who had died of tetanus. In 1897, Nocard demonstrated that passive transformation of antitoxin had a protective effect. Kitasato found the organism in a human suffering from tetanus in 1889 and hypothesized that the disease may be reproduced when animals are injected with it. He also proposed the concept of utilization of antibodies to neutralize the toxin. Passive immunization was used for the first time in humans to treat and provide prophylaxis for tetanus during the first world war. In 1924 Descombey first developed the tetanus toxoid, which was extensively utilized in the second world war. In the same year, Nicolaier used samples of soil produced to produce tetanus by injecting animals.
Famous Tetanus Victims
- George Montagu who was an expert on birds got tetanus after stepping on a nail.
- Joe Powell who was a soccer player got tetanus after undergoing a broken arm amputation.
- Fred Thomson who was a silent film actor, also got tetanus after stepping on a nail.
- John A. Roebling who was a civil engineer and an architect and was known for his designing of bridges, in particular the Brooklyn Bridge, got tetanus after a foot amputation as result of a crash of a ferry.
- Henry David Thoreau's brother, John Thoreau also had tetanus.
- Traveller that was the favorite horse of General Robert E. Lee also acquired tetanus after stepping on a nail.
- George Crockett Strong who was during the American Civil War, was a union brigadier general, got tetanus from wounds acquired as result of the assault against Fort Wagner on Morris Island, South Carolina.
- Johann Tserclaes who was injured in the Battle of Rain by a cannon ball also acquired tetanus from this injury.