History.
—George F., aged 14, German, called me July 14. He said he awakened in the morning with a stiff neck and a general feeling of stiffness which he attributed to the jar of a mowing machine which he had ridden the day previous. I learned after considerable questioning that he had accidentally shot himself July 1 with a toy pistol, in the left hand half an inch from the base of the index and middle fingers. No attention was paid to the wound except to apply carbolic acid and do it up in an ordinary bandage.
Examination.
—The patient lay on his back with legs extended, head drawn back, face swollen, anxious expression. Temperature 101.5, pulse 96, respiration 20. All the muscles of trunk and limbs were rigid excepting those of the arms. The jaws could only be separated sufficiently to admit point of teaspoon