World War II: The Production and Use of the Tetanus Vaccine
Tetanus is a disease affecting the nervous system of the human body. The first inactive tetanus vaccine (also known as Tetanus Toxoid) began production in 1924, 15 years before World War II, which officially began in 1939. However, widespread use of the vaccine did not begin until World War II was in progress. (CDC, 2011). The tetanus vaccine became required to reduce cases of tetanus in war zones where exposure to C. tetani is common.
The Disease
The bacilli Clostridium tetani creates an exotoxin that causes the defining symptom of tetanus: muscle stiffness. Beginning in the jaw and neck, it gradually moves to other parts of the body. A common alternative name for tetanus is “lockjaw”
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There were 13.4 cases for every 100,000. (Long, 1954). During World War II (recorded from 1942-45), there were 2,734,819 admissions for injury, and only 12 cases of tetanus. There were only .44 cases per 100,000 injuries recorded. (Long, 1954). This can be attributed to the increased production of tetanus toxoid and immunization of soldiers. The proven effectiveness of the vaccine solidified its use in preventing the exotoxins released into the body by Clostridium tetani. (NEJM, 1947). There were cases of tetanus where the patient had gotten the vaccine administered to them, but “protection from tetanus by active immunization is based on the immunologic preparation of the individual”. (Long, 1954). Of the 12 cases of tetanus recorded, 6 of the patients who had acquired tetanus did not have any active immunization of tetanus toxoid, 2 had the basic three injections, and 4 had both the basic immunization and stimulating injections during emergency. (Long, 1954).References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2011). "Tetanus". Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (CDC, Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (pdf). Washington, D.C: Public Health Foundation.
World Health Organization. (2006). Tetanus vaccine: WHO position paper. Weekly epidemiological record, 20 (81), 197–208.
Starlin, Zandra. (n.a.). Tetanus. Retrieved from: http://www.austincc.edu/microbio/2421b/tet.htm
Long, A. P. (1943). Tetanus Toxoid, Its Use in the United States Army . American Journal of
Public Health and the Nation's Health, 33(1), 53–57.
Tetanus in the United States Army in World War II. (1947). New England Journal of
This essay will attempt to investigate the employment of the 23 plus vaccinations used today and how they defend the preventions and spread of diseases. The paper will support the pros and the cons of vaccinations that are supported by research statistics as well as the different symptoms that have been reported for each available vaccine.
During any war, medical advancements are commonly made in response to the atrocities that take place during these bloody and gruesome times. World War II is no exception. During World War II, medical advances simply had to be made to keep soldiers alive. With all the victims of bullet wounds and diseases spreading around, treatments had to be invented or advanced. I chose this topic because science and medicine is very fascinating to me and I want to become a doctor when I grow up. During the war, penicillin, sulfanilamide, atabrine, plasma, and morphine were used in abundance and saved a countless number of lives.
Declan Wylie The war of 1812 was a conflict that lasted two and one half years and was fought between the United States and the United Kingdom. The United States declared war on June 18, 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions brought about by the British war with France, the impressment of American merchant sailors into the Royal Navy and more. An estimated 22,200 people died during this war. People believe that the main cause of death was bullets and cannon balls but, in truth, the most deaths were caused by the lack of proper medical care and knowledge.
Sick or wounded soldiers with a compromised immune system were more easily susceptible to the disease. A study showed that over a 19 month period, more than 17% of the Confederate army fell victim to Pneumonia. Symptoms are chest pain (when breathing or coughing), cough, fatigue, fever, sweating and shaking chills, lower than normal body temperature, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and shortness of breath. Measles was another disease that infected many soldiers. During the 1st year of the war, there were 21,676 reported cases of measles and 551 deaths in the Union army alone. Around 1 in 20 people who got this died and it ended up killing about 11,000 total soldiers. In the Union Army, over 67,000 had measles and more than 4,000 died. Deaths were primarily from respiratory and cerebral involvement. Symptoms are fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat, inflamed eyes, tiny white spots with bluish-white centers on a red background found inside the mouth or inner lining of cheek, or a rash made up of large, flat blotches than often flow into one another. We also saw many cases of Tuberculosis. Tuberculosis killed about 14,000 soldiers during the war. There was and still is no cure for the
Immunizations are essential components in the primary and preventive care setting to ensure a healthier population. Immunizations are aimed to prevent illnesses such as Tetanus, Diphtheria, Varicella, Hepatitis A, Influenza and Pneumonia to mention a few. Upon their discovery and implementation, vaccines have aid to decrease the incidence of infectious diseases, which were once the leading causes of death in the country and around the world. Despite their validated benefits; amongst the adult population, there are existing misconceptions related to immunization usefulness and effectiveness resulting in an unacceptably low adult vaccination rates and unmet vaccine recommendations. Consequently, leading to approximately 40,000-50,000 preventable death and an increased spread of communicable illnesses("Adult Immunization:
Military medicine had not changed much in the fifty years since the American Civil War. Nurses only had salt water to rinse wounds and there was no medication to stop infections once they started.Thousands lost arms, legs, and even their lives. Overtime, doctors developed new ways to treat burns, tissue damage, and contagious diseases. Doctors soon learned how to conduct blood transfusions
Many infectious diseases that once quickly spread and easily killed have been controlled or eradicated due to vaccinations. The efficacy of vaccines in reducing morbidity and mortality, particularly in children, is undeniable. Per the World Health Organization, childhood vaccinations prevent approximately 2-3 million deaths per year worldwide (WHO, 2016). In the United States, the value of immunizations is clearly displayed by comparing pre-vaccine era morbidity/mortality rates to post-vaccine era in regards to vaccine-preventable diseases. For example, prior to the diphtheria vaccine in the 1920’s, 206,000 people annually contracted the disease resulting in 15,520 deaths (History of Vaccines, 2009). However, between 2004 and 2014, only
Mandatory vaccination continues to be a contentious subject in the United States, even though extensive evidence proves inoculation prevents certain diseases. According to A. Plotkin & L. Plotkin (2011), the evolution of the first vaccine commenced in the 1700’s when a physician named Edwards Jenner discovered that cowpox protected individuals from one of the deadliest diseases termed smallpox. The precise virus Jenner used is unclear; however, it was espoused in the extermination of smallpox worldwide. The researchers further explained, the unearthing of the subsequent vaccine known as chicken cholera occurred approximately 80 years later by Louise Pasteur. Ever since, copious vaccines such as rabies, yellow fever, varicella, pneumococcal, mumps and recently HPV have been introduced.
Throughout history, vaccinations have been used to help the prevention of infectious diseases; some of which can produce serious illnesses, crippling disabilities, and ultimately be the cause of death. There is evidence of ancient culture’s attempting to treat transmittable diseases with various forms of inoculations. Developments in the research of vaccinations increased during the mid-twentieth century because of the established of more advanced laboratories, improved equipment, and new innovations. The progression of medicine during history has helped further the development of research into vaccinations. Several cultural, ethical, and religious issues have resulted from the development and use of vaccinations in our society. The topic of vaccinations has caused a strong debate amongst our culture about the safety and danger of treating infectious diseases with such methods.
Vaccines change over time as science makes advancements and diseases processes evolve and emerge. Around 400 BC, Hippocrates recognized the now preventable diseases, such as diphtheria and mumps (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015). The first effort to immunize dates back to the 1100’s when children were inoculated with scabs from individuals who recently had small pox, with a technique coined as variolation. Then in 1796, Edward Jenner successfully created the first small pox vaccine (Immunization Act Coalition, 2015).
World War Two, a harsh period of time in the 1930s-1940s, filled with controversial arguments, political battles, fights to the death, but most importantly, medical advancements. Did you know that without the research and discoveries made during World War Two, our medical programs would probably be lacking the information we have today? It’s very true, and in my opinion, the war strengthened our medical abilities, and it really put our world to the test. New medicine had been discovered, while old medicine had been improved; horrible medical experiments performed by the Nazis occurred during this time; but most importantly, World War Two has affected our medical programs that we have presently. These
Vaccines are one of most successful and cost effective public health preventive tool in current century for preventing communicable diseases. According to UK Health Protection Agency (HPA), vaccination is the second most effective public health intervention worldwide. Immunization protects the individual as well the community from serious diseases. Since the implementation of immunization there has been a 95% reduction in the cases 4. According to WHO immunization prevented 2million deaths worldwide.
Thesis Statement: Vaccinating should be a top priority for families in that they are historically effective, the benefits of vaccinating outweigh any risks, and they reduce disease burdens on families and nations. Annotated Bibliography Babcock, Pamela (2010). 12 Reasons Why Adults Need Vaccines. WebMD.
Despite significant progress in the fight against preventable disease, millions still die needlessly each year. According to UNICEF, originally known as the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, a vaccine preventable disease is responsible for 2 million fatal infections worldwide each year. About 75% of these deaths occur in children under five years of age. (N) In more vivid terms, UNICEF notes that vaccine-preventable diseases kill a child every 20 seconds. (D) Due to high rates of childhood vaccination, the United States has experienced a dramatic reduction in such deaths. A comparison of the years 1950 and 2010 clearly illustrates the benefits of vaccinations. During this 60-year period, deaths from diphtheria reduced from 410 to 0, tetanus from 336 to 3, pertussis from 1,118 to 26, and polio from 1,904 to 0. Measles deaths dropped from 468 in 1950 to 0 in 2008, the last year a United States death rate was recorded. It’s not surprising that vaccinations have been touted as one of the top ten health achievements of the 20th century by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
On April 19, 1982, a televised documentary titled Vaccine Roulette aired showing the world the severe side effects DTP was causing on children and scientists opinions against the vaccine. What Vaccine Roulette purposely forgot to mention to nations of concerned, watchful parents was that the DTP vaccine nearly extinct the pertussis virus and that they had taken the answers of scientists and cropped their answers to best fit their case. As a British epidemiologist previously stated, “Once again the media have succeeded in denting parents confidence in childhood immunization” (Conis 209). Shortly after this documentary aired, vaccine compensation programs were established to protect those who unfortunately had a severe reaction to a vaccine and new and improved vaccines were formulated, tested, and released for administration to the