I was rummaging around a high shelf in the studio last week and dumped over a cup of tools. An exacto skimmed my finger on the way to the ground and skewered me through the toenail. (Six feet of gravity gave it some trajectory!) After I pulled out the exacto and realized it was rusty, I ran for the bandages and then the Internet to see whether a visit to the doc the next day would protect me. Turns out that a shot a day later will not help; you need to get it within three or four hours if you are out of date. Two and a half hours later at the emergency room, I was safe, but I would not recommend that as a Sunday evening experience to anyone. So if you haven't had a tetanus shot in a decade, get one at your next physical. And if you have, be sure you are up to date on your booster shots. Just a reminder, from someone who learned the hard way. All metalworkers should be up to date on tetanus shots. Cheers, Shawn

I need to get a booster as it has been some time thanks for the reminder. I need to check and see if my insurance pays for it too. I wonder if a acontinual diet of cuts and scraps from rusty dirty metal help to keep your imunity up?

Hey,

That's good advice. I also get my blood tested for metals every year or two. At your phisical you can request blood work to check for and then list the metals you use. I some what regularly draw saw blades through my fingers leaving metal in them, slip and stab myself, get any of silver, gold, brass, etc. splinters. Silver has been thought of as a natural anti bioticBUT...as I look at the ashen gray deposites in my fingers from getting silver in my tissue, I found this article on silver...read and wonder...http://www.cqs.com/silver.htm. Plus I use lead for female dies and occationally get sniffs of evaporating heavy metals. Wow, it's amazing that some of us metal smiths aren't just walking lightening rods!

I also use lead for dapping and I'm told now that is a no no for jewelery but it works so well. Way back when I was an avid target pistol shooter and cast my own bullets I would spend hours over a cast iron pot full of molten lead and now I wouldn't think of it but I still love to use lead for shaping my precious metal on. I have had a hard time getting doctors and some of the medical profession taking serious note of the hazards of my use of metals, they just can't fathom someone doing metals.

WOW!!! I will certainly check if I'm current on my tetanus shot. And for the issue of having metal in your system somewhere... last year I needed an MRI. But before they shuffed me into the machine I had to have my eyes x-rayed. The explanation was that - because I work with metal - if there would be even the tiniest piece of metal in my eye, my eye ball could explode......... ‹(•¿•)› !!! Yikes!

Milli,

OMG!!!  That's a very scary thought and a very nasty picture in my imagination (LOL).  Did anyone watch Oprah today?  Her topic was "flesh eating bacteria" and how easy it is to get it.  I guess we are all walking around with these bacteria on our skin and a tiny little cut allows them to get inside and liquify your insides.  I tell you, after seeing that, I am also going to start being more careful with "tiny, harmless cuts" on my skin.  Also, what about "Swine Flu"?  I think I will start washing my hands a lot more from now on.  Scary.......

Laura

Hi Laura, I did have weird images in my head also... don't even want to think about it :-P No, Oprah is on here at 4.00 pm and yes, I will definately watch that though I seem to remember seeing an other program on the flesh eating bacteria. The swine flue; I'm not worried, scared, panicking, or anything like that. I do believe that the media have a field day with things like that. I try to be clean, take care of things, eat well, that's it. On a philosophical level, people suffer the most from the suffering they fear...

Oh my oh my oh my.......................... Watching Oprah right now, I have to turn my eyes away but I am listening. This really is unbelievable. Unimaginable.

Was I kidding?  You just never know, huh?  It gives you a lot to think about.  Bottom line, wash your hands!!!!!

Laura