Tetanus Question.......

[cindyjay]

Hi.  I've never posted here before but I've read the boards off and on for several years.  Today I have a question I hope you all can help me with.  My 5 yr old non-vac son got poked by a wool carder at a (kind of dirty) yarn shop today.  I did not realize it immediately but did about 20 minutes later.  The wool carder was hooked up to an engine and was moving slow but the lady working there pushed on it and somehow one wire poked his finger.  When I noticed it I tried to make it bleed, but it wouldn't.  He said it never really hurt him.  We came home and I put hydrogen peroxide on it twice now.  Do you all think I need to be worried about tetanus?  I always worry about this kind of stuff....and I hate that!!!

Thanks in advance!!!

Cindy

[emmy526]

Tetanus is a toxin spore that is found in animal feces. Is there reason to believe there would be that on the machine in question?  Did his finger  get poked deep enough to warrant bleeding?  I wound't worry about it. How many other people at the shop have gotten cut on the machine and gotten tetanus as a result? 

[cindyjay]

Thanks so much for your reply!  I guess my biggest concern is the fact that the wool carder has lots of wool on it and sometimes it could be raw wool that hasn't been washed.  As for how deep the poke is?  I can't tell for sure....but hopefully it isn't very deep.  I know it was deep enough to make a hole and it is pale red.  I read a previous post on here to soak the injury in some epsom-salt water, so I may do that as well today.  Again, thank you so much for your thoughts!  And if you have more, please feel free to share them too!

Blessings,

Cindy

[MsFortune]

I'm pretty pro-vax and in general, I think your kid should get his tetanus shot.  

That being said, I would not feel the need to get a shot based on this prick.

[Turquesa]

LOL!  I'm a tad less pro-vax than MsFortune and just wanted to point out that there is a theoretical risk of tetanus if the wool came FRESH from the farm and was unrefined.  I've gotten wool to spin directly from the source, and that source easily gets sheep and alpaca poo stuck in it.    And I swear those creatures just stick their butts on the ground and rub them around just for kicks and giggles, because that hind end gets so many burrs and mud chunks in it.   

It's probably pretty clean roving once it hits the yarn shop's wool carder. I'm sure the OP has already decided how to proceed, and tetanus is ridiculously rare in young children.  But I just thought I'd throw that out there.

[cindyjay]

Thanks for your thoughts!!  Yes, like you, my biggest concern was the fact that there could be raw wool on the carder.  I know for a fact there was plenty of raw wool in the shop because the owner was showing me how she cleans it.  BUT, with that said, I did not see any near the carder.  What she had been carding was a dyed roving so I feel that it was probably clean...but worry a bit about the cleanliness of the carder.  The spot is still clearly visible on his finger, but it does not look infected.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply!!!  I really appreciate it!!

Blessings,

Cindy