What people think causes tetanus
The actual cause: Tetanus is caused by an anaerobic bacterium called Clostridium tetani. This bacterium mainly lives in the soil. The reason rusty objects are usually blamed is simply because an object rusty enough to be noticed has likely been sitting in an unhygienic environment, meaning it's covered in bacteria and is sharp enough to easily break the skin, allowing the bacteria to enter the body. In reality, 'rust' itself has very little to do with tetanus.
"Users clear up the 'rust vs. bacteria' debate, sharing facts about anaerobic environments and a wild story about a soldier who failed to get a medical discharge by eating nails."
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