Tetanus

13 snips

May 12, 2025

Discover the long and fascinating history of tetanus, from ancient medical texts to modern vaccines. Explore how groundbreaking research in the 19th century identified the tetanus bacillus and led to effective immunization. The podcast highlights the disease's devastating effects on newborns and soldiers, especially during historic wars. Don't miss insights into the public health implications and ongoing challenges in tackling tetanus worldwide, alongside reflections on community connection in these turbulent times.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Tetanus Causes and Effects

Tetanus is caused by Clostridium tetani bacteria which produce toxins causing intense muscle spasms.
The spasms can cause bone fractures, suffocation, or heart failure, with high fatality even with treatment.

INSIGHT

Hippocrates' Tetanus Descriptions

Hippocrates described three types of tetanus with symptoms like lockjaw and severe muscle rigidity.
Treatment involved warming and anointing with herbal oils, showing early empirical medical approaches.

INSIGHT

Discovery of Tetanus Bacterium

In 1884, researchers proved tetanus was caused by a bacillus in soil that produces a dangerous bacterial toxin.
Tetanus spores are extraordinarily hardy and resistant, surviving harsh conditions including disinfectants and heat.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

1984

None

George Orwell

Published in 1949, '1984' is a cautionary tale by George Orwell that explores the dangers of totalitarianism. The novel is set in a dystopian future where the world is divided into three super-states, with the protagonist Winston Smith living in Oceania, ruled by the mysterious and omnipotent leader Big Brother. Winston works at the Ministry of Truth, where he rewrites historical records to conform to the Party's ever-changing narrative. He begins an illicit love affair with Julia and starts to rebel against the Party, but they are eventually caught and subjected to brutal torture and indoctrination. The novel highlights themes of government surveillance, manipulation of language and history, and the suppression of individual freedom and independent thought.

De medicina

Aulus Cornelius Celsus

Aulus Cornelius Celsus's 'De Medicina' is a comprehensive eight-book encyclopedia of medicine written in Latin during the 1st century CE. It covers various aspects of medical practice, including surgery, pharmacology, and hygiene. The work is remarkable for its detailed descriptions of diseases, surgical techniques, and therapeutic approaches. It is considered a significant contribution to the history of medicine, providing valuable insights into the medical knowledge and practices of the Roman era. 'De Medicina' remained a standard medical text for centuries, influencing medical education and practice throughout the Middle Ages and beyond.

The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine

Maoshing Ni

This book contains the eighty-one chapters of the Neijing Suwen, or 'Questions of Organic and Fundamental Nature', written in the form of a discourse between Huang Di and his ministers. It covers a wide range of subjects including etiology, physiology, diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of disease, as well as ethics, psychology, and cosmology. The translation includes elucidations and interpretations to clarify the original text and make it highly readable for students and those interested in Chinese medicine.

On Epidemics

Hippocrates

Hippocrates' 'On Epidemics' is a collection of medical case studies and observations from his time. It provides valuable insights into the diseases prevalent in ancient Greece, including descriptions of symptoms, treatments, and the impact of environmental factors on health. The work showcases Hippocrates' keen observational skills and his emphasis on understanding the natural course of diseases. It is considered a foundational text in the history of medicine, demonstrating the early development of clinical practice and epidemiological thinking. The book's detailed accounts of various illnesses, including tetanus, offer a glimpse into the challenges faced by physicians in ancient times.

Diseases, Internal Affections

Hippocrates

Hippocrates' "Diseases, Internal Affections" is part of the Hippocratic Corpus, a collection of ancient Greek medical texts. This section focuses on internal diseases and their treatments, reflecting the medical knowledge and practices of the time. It provides detailed descriptions of various illnesses and their symptoms, offering insights into the diagnostic methods and therapeutic approaches used in ancient Greece. The text highlights the importance of observation, prognosis, and holistic care in medical practice. It is a valuable historical document that sheds light on the development of medical thought and practice in the ancient world.

Man and Microbes

John Sundwall

Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus

Edwin Smith

The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus is one of the oldest known medical texts in the world, dating back to ancient Egypt around 1500 BCE. It contains detailed descriptions of various injuries, surgical procedures, and treatments. The papyrus showcases a sophisticated understanding of anatomy, physiology, and surgical techniques for its time. It is considered a remarkable achievement in the history of medicine, providing valuable insights into the medical knowledge and practices of ancient Egypt. The papyrus's detailed case studies and practical approach to treatment demonstrate the advanced level of medical understanding in ancient Egyptian civilization.

The Mechanism of Immunity in Animals to Diphtheria and Tetanus

Kitasato Shibasaburo

Emil von Behring

The Mechanism of Immunity in Animals to Diphtheria and Tetanus is a seminal paper published in 1890 by Emil von Behring and Shibasaburo Kitasato. This groundbreaking work described the discovery of antitoxins and their role in conferring immunity against diphtheria and tetanus. The research demonstrated that the blood serum of animals immunized against these diseases contained substances that neutralized the toxins produced by the bacteria. This discovery laid the foundation for the development of serum therapy, a revolutionary approach to treating infectious diseases. The paper's findings had a profound impact on the field of immunology and paved the way for the development of vaccines and other immunotherapies.

Tetanus has probably been around for most of human history, or even longer. But it’s preventable today thanks to vaccines.

Research:

"Emil von Behring." Notable Scientists from 1900 to the Present, edited by Brigham Narins, Gale, 2008. Gale In Context: Science, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1619001490/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=464250e5. Accessed 17 Apr. 2025.
Breasted, J.H., translator. “OIP 3. The Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, Volume 1: Hieroglyphic Transliteration, Translation, and Commentary.” Oxford University Press. 1930.
Chalian, William. “An Essay on the History of Lockjaw.” Bulletin of the History of Medicine, FEBRUARY, 1940, Vol. 8, No. 2. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44446242
Emil von Behring: The founder of serum therapy. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2025. Thu. 17 Apr 2025. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1901/behring/article/
Galassi, Francesco Maria et al. “Tetanus: historical and palaeopathological aspects considering its current health impact.” Journal of preventive medicine and hygiene vol. 65,4 E580-E585. 31 Jan. 2025, doi:10.15167/2421-4248/jpmh2024.65.4.3376
George, Elizabeth K. “Tetanus (Clostridium tetani Infection).” StatPearls. January 2025. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482484/
Hippocrates. “VI. Diseases, Internal Affections.” Harvard University Press. 1988.
Jean-Marc Cavaillon, Historical links between toxinology and immunology, Pathogens and Disease, Volume 76, Issue 3, April 2018, fty019, https://doi.org/10.1093/femspd/fty019
Jones CE, Yusuf N, Ahmed B, Kassogue M, Wasley A, Kanu FA. Progress Toward Achieving and Sustaining Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination — Worldwide, 2000–2022. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:614–621. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7328a1
Kaufmann, Stefan H E. “Remembering Emil von Behring: from Tetanus Treatment to Antibody Cooperation with Phagocytes.” mBio vol. 8,1 e00117-17. 28 Feb. 2017, doi:10.1128/mBio.00117-17
Kreston, Rebecca. “Tetanus, the Grinning Death.” Discover. 9/29/2015. https://www.discovermagazine.com/health/tetanus-the-grinning-death
Milto, Lori De, and Leslie Mertz, PhD. "Tetanus." The Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health, edited by Brigham Narins, 2nd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2020, pp. 1074-1076. Gale In Context: Environmental Studies, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX7947900274/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=a44bc544. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
Milto, Lori De, and Leslie Mertz, PhD. "Tetanus." The Gale Encyclopedia of Public Health, edited by Brigham Narins, 2nd ed., vol. 2, Gale, 2020, pp. 1074-1076. Gale In Context: Environmental Studies, link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX7947900274/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=a44bc544. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
National Institutes of Health. “Tetanus.” https://history.nih.gov/display/history/Tetanus
Ni, Maoshing. “The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Medicine: A New Translation of the Neijing Suwen with Commentary.” Shambhala. 1995.
Smithsonian. “The Antibody Initiative: Battling Tetanus.” https://www.si.edu/spotlight/antibody-initiative/battling-tetanus
Sundwall, John. “Man and Microbes.” Illustrated lecture given under the auspices of the Kansas Academy of Science, Topeka, January 12, 1917. https://archive.org/details/jstor-3624335/
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1901. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach 2025. Thu. 17 Apr 2025. https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/1901/summary/
Tiwari, Tejpratap S.P. et al. “Chapter 21: Tetanus.” CDC Pink Book. https://www.cdc.gov/pinkbook/hcp/table-of-contents/chapter-21-tetanus.html
Von Behring, Emil and Kitasato Shibasaburo. “The Mechanism of Immunity in Animals to Diphtheria and Tetanus.” Immunology. 1890. http://raolab.org/upfile/file/20200612164743_201234_56288.pdf
War Office Committee for the Study of Tetanus. “Memorandum on Tetanus.” Fourth Edition. 1919. https://archive.org/details/b32171201/
World Health Organization. “Tetanus.” 7/12/2024. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/tetanus

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.