I’m 26 years old and I’ve never had a tetanus shot in my life. When I mention that to people the most common respsonse I get is for them to go wide eyed and suggest I go out the next day and get one.
If it’s such a big deal, how did/do primative societies cope? I tend to think that it can’t have been that common. But if not, then why wouldn’t it be? Perhaps civilization has changed the environment in such a way as to make it more suitable for tetanus to thrive? Or, perhaps something about our civilized lifestyles means that we’re more likely to contract it? Diet for instance. Does anyone have any thoughts to share on the subject?
The wikipedia article on Tetanus mentions that the bacterium is often found in the intestines and faeces of non-human animals and the list of animals it mentions in particular are all domesticated animals. Given the history of diseases in civilaztion proliferating because of the way we keep large groups of domestic animals and live in settlements alongside them, it makes me wonder if there could be connection between agriculture and Tetanus as well.
Also a little poll for readers of this post: what’s your feeling about the importance of tetanus shots? Do you get tetanus shots?
I do wonder if I’m unwise not to get a shot. After all, even if civilization did create the problem, I still have to live with the consequences.