Tetanus in the Puerperium
- 27 March 1943
- Vol. 1 (4290) , 382
- https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.4290.382-a
Abstract
The patient, a 2-para, was a rather fragile and delicate young lady of about 25. After the confinement the patient ran a temp. (under 100[degree]) for 10 days; it then dropped to and remained at normal. On the 12th day she complained of right-sided trismus with slight pain over the right jaw. Under chloroform forcible opening of the jaw revealed an abscess of the lower right wisdom tooth with a few drops of pus escaping from the surrounding gum. On the 15th day an attempt to swallow medicine produced a very severe tannic spasm of the throat and neck muscles, in which the patient became black in the face and ceased to breathe, while the arms were stiff and facial contraction occurred. A succession of these severe attacks continued at fairly frequent intervals during that day and the following night, and proved fatal next morning. The offending wisdom tooth was sent up to St. Bart"s laboratory, and in the abscess at the root of the tooth, the tetanus bacillus was found.This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: