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Why is it so dangerous to step on a rusty nail? - Louise Thwaites

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In the 5th century, a ship master was suffering from a nasty infection that caused his jaws to press together, his teeth to lock up, and the muscles in his neck and spine to spasm. Today we know this account to be one the first recorded cases of tetanus. So, what causes this peculiar infection? Louise Thwaites explores how tetanus affects our bodies, and how we can prevent it.

Clinical manifestations of toxin do not include:

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Louise Thwaites
  • Director Andrew Foerster, Rewfoe
  • Narrator Pen-Pen Chen
  • Music Jason Stamatyades
  • Sound Designer Jason Stamatyades
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Produced by Sazia Afrin
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Dan Kwartler
  • Script Editor Joel Goldberg
  • Fact-Checker Charles Wallace

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