Tetanus. A nurse feeds a man with tetanus through a nasogastric tube. Tetanus is a disease of the central nervous system caused by infection of a wound with spores of the bacterium Clostridium tetani. The spores are found in soil & faeces. In a wound they can multiply & produce a toxin which affects motor nerve function in unimmunized people. This causes stiffness of the jaw (lockjaw) & rigidity of the trunk muscles. Painful muscle spasms may develop, and if these affect the chest wall or the larynx asphyxia may result unless a tracheostomy is performed & a ventilator provided. Prompt treatment with antitoxin can produce a complete recovery. Photographed in Vietnam.