Summary

Description	The purpose of this presentation is to illustrate the problems and emotional crises faced by a family when the young mother contracts tetanus. This is achieved in a dramatized portrayal of her life and activities using a flashback technique. The program stresses the importance of immunization, which is virtually 100% effective. In this presentation the mother is shown critically ill in the acute stage of tetanus following a superficial skin scratch while gardening. Her symptoms are demonstrated and described, and the physician briefly discusses the occurrence, pathology, physiopathology, and prevention of the disease with the patient's husband. The doctor describes her chance for survival as 50-50 and stresses that approximately 50% of the affected patients die in spite of round-the-clock treatment; with no treatment, death is virtually certain. The husband is shown as he thinks about his home and children, and tries to imagine life without his wife. He is called to the hospital durin
Source	collections.nlm.nih.gov
Author	National Communicable Disease Center (U.S.), United States. Public Health Service. Audiovisual Facility.

Licensing

Public Domain

Attribution: National Communicable Disease Center (U.S.), United States. Public Health Service. Audiovisual Facility.