Back in the 1800s some of the main epidemics that swept through the United States, as well as the rest of the world, were diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious illness that is caused by bacteria. It attacks the mucous membranes in the nasal passages and produces a thick whitish-grey substance in the back of your throat. A breakthrough for diphtheria came in 1926 in the form of a vaccine.
Tetanus, also known as “lockjaw,” is a bacterial infection that affects the central nervous system. The disease causes your muscles to tense up and become stiff, thus rendering you immobile. Muscle stiffness usually affected the neck and jaw area, leading to the widely-used nickname. In the 1890s, Emil von Behring developed the first antitoxin for tetanus. Von Behring’s medication paved the way for the inoculation discovered about 35 years later.
