Violent spasms, muscle contraction (“lock-jaw”) caused by a spore -forming, Gram positive bacillus penetrating the body though a puncture wound, and usually leading to death. The organism occurs in water and mayoccur after envenomation (eg in stingray spine puncture wounds), as well as the more commonly-known soil contamination (eg in war wounds). It may be prevented by vaccination with tetanus toxoid.... tetanus/tetany