Tetanus

The master of a large ship mashed the index finger of his right hand with the anchor. Seven days later a somewhat foul discharge appeared; then trouble with his tongue--he complained he could not speak properly. The presence of tetanus was diagnosed, his jaws became pressed together, his teeth were locked, then symptoms appeared in his neck: on the third day opisthotonos appeared with sweating. Six days after the diagnosis was made he died.                                - Huth, Edward J.

Tetanus is an acute disease induced by a bacterium, Clostridium tetani, which exists in the gut of man, in domestic animals and is found in the soil. Infection enters the body through wounds - such as those causes by a splinter, nail in the boot or a garden fork or following septic infection such as a dirty abrasion. It's a serious condition as 1 in 10 will die due to the disease. It is more prone to young children, new borns and elderly population who are not immunized.