From: Robert A. Neinast
Subject: A Study of Puncture Wounds
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 20:23:38 -0400

I recently happened upon a study of puncture wounds of the foot
that I found rather interesting.  The study looked at 44 children
who were admitted into a San Antonio hospital with foot puncture
wounds.  Those admitted to hospitals are generally those who
have gotten an infection.

Some interesting observations:

   Of the 44 children, 27 of them were shod (only 17 were barefoot)
   when the injury happened.  Most of the injured children stepped
   on nails (35 of the 44).

Here's the even more interesting part:

   The infections were of 2 kinds, soft tissue infections and bone
   infections.  *None* of the barefoot infections were bone
   infections.  (I would guess that a reflex action prevented
   the nail from going as deeply in the barefooted child.)

And, the main conclusion of the study is also quite interesting:

   The two major bacteria involved in the infections are staph
   and something called Pseudomonas aeruginosa.  *None* of the
   barefoot children were infected by the P. aeruginosa.  It was
   the researchers' conclusion that this bacterium was residing
   in the children's shoes, and was injected into the wound by
   the nail doing the puncturing.

I've put a copy of the paper at

   <http://ahcuah.home.att.net/xtra/laughlin.htm>.

Bob
-- 
" . . . and shun the Frumious Bandersnatch."
Robert A. Neinast
Pickerington, OH