Monthly Archives: December 2010

Firecracker wounds and fireworks injury

Do not take for granted small wounds or scratch you incurred from an accidental firecracker and fireworks explosion. Innocent looking wounds can cause tetanus infection.

Clostridium tetani, is an acute bacterial disease causing rigidity and spasms of the voluntary muscles can easily enter the body even through a small scratch on the skin.

The bacteria is usually present in soil that has not been exposed to sunlight and in manures of horse, cow and carabao.

Presence of said bacteria is found in patients with firecracker or fireworks-related wound or injuries.

Previous studies revealed that horse manure is being used as expander by fireworks and firecracker manufacturer.

The incubation period of tetanus could be as short as one day to usually five to 21 days. But there is the so-called delayed setting of infection. These are wound that were not treated and have already healed.

Tetanus infection is often fatal. About 95 to 99 percent of the patients died from its complications. But recovery rate is also high if the infection is treated immediately.

Patients are given anti-tetanus immunoglobulin and tetanus toxoid vaccines as treatment.

Take note of the following signs and symptoms if you do have these innocent looking wounds.

Stiffness of the jaw muscles
Severe muscle spasms
Difficulty in breathing and swallowing.

If you worry that you might have the infection, seek medical help immediately.

Do not self-medicate.

Source of information:

Author’s previous phone interview with Dr. Franklin Diza, of the DOH.

For more information about the DOH’s Kontrapaputok Program, visit:

KONTRA PAPUTOK

Kontra Paputok image
Kontrapaputok Website

LP: Lugar (Place)

Picnic Grounds

Forest of Varied Trees

Shell Flower Terraces

Picnic Huts

Magandang Huwebes mga ka-LP! Ilang tulog na lang at magpapalit na ang taon, 2011 na.

Sa mga lugar na napuntahan ng aming pamilya, isa na ang Eco Park sa masasabi ko na gusto naming balik-balikan. Una, dahil sa ito ay malapit lamang sa aming tinitirhan kaya madaling puntahan. Pangalawa, matipid. Hindi namin kailangang gumasta ng malaki para lamang mag-enjoy sa aming nakikita.

Maganda ang lugar, tahimik at sariwa ang hangin. Saan ka naman makakakita na ganitong kayabong na pananim sa gitna ng isang maingay at mausok na siyudad, dito lamang ‘yan sa La Mesa Eco Park, Quezon City.

Water crisis in 2011

Metro Manila residents will face another water crisis in 2011. If this is the case, I hope proper authorities will deal with the impending problem before it happens and get millions of people affected.

Personally, I can live without electricity for a couple of days, but not without water running down the faucet. The family of my brother-in-law and ours used to own an electric water pump. We sold the electric pump when finally got a direct connection to Maynilad Water Services.

With the looming water problem, areas who are most likely to get affected can share engine driven pumps so they will have ample water supply until the water crisis is solved.