Fun fact: tetanus comes from dirt, not rust. But it has to get into your blood and typically that only happens when you get pierced by a piece of dirty metal, which will typically be rusty if it’s in that situation.
Correct. If you take a totally clean, disinfected nail, stick it in some lab grade brine until it gets rusty, and then stab yourself with it, there is a 0% chance of getting tetanus.
You could technically have tetanus on something without it being covered in dirt. My point is tetanus bacteria lives in the dirt. But the rust has nothing to do with it other than making the metal more likely to cut or pierce you.
It appears to be a complete US phenomenon to me.
I have only ever heard this myth in online media, and it just seems absurd iron oxide somehow spawns Bacteria.
Yeah but Tetanus is caused by a specific bacteria called Clostridium Tetani and I don’t know how it would find its way to a random thumb tack, inside a building.
Fun fact: tetanus comes from dirt, not rust. But it has to get into your blood and typically that only happens when you get pierced by a piece of dirty metal, which will typically be rusty if it’s in that situation.
So are you saying there is no risk of tetanus after getting pierced by a rusty nail with no dirt on it?
Correct. If you take a totally clean, disinfected nail, stick it in some lab grade brine until it gets rusty, and then stab yourself with it, there is a 0% chance of getting tetanus.
You could technically have tetanus on something without it being covered in dirt. My point is tetanus bacteria lives in the dirt. But the rust has nothing to do with it other than making the metal more likely to cut or pierce you.
People tend to think the rust is what causes it.
Correct, I definitely thought that was the case
Not me I never thought that. In fact I never even thought about it at all so I’m next level stupid
i was told the increased surface area caused by rusting provided a better environment for tetanus
It appears to be a complete US phenomenon to me. I have only ever heard this myth in online media, and it just seems absurd iron oxide somehow spawns Bacteria.
You forgot about germs and parasites.
Yeah but Tetanus is caused by a specific bacteria called Clostridium Tetani and I don’t know how it would find its way to a random thumb tack, inside a building.