『震える舌』 破傷風—50年前の医療現場と家族の心情描写

Writhing Tongue: A Film About the Medical Practices, Anxiety, and Confusion Surrounding Tetanus in the 1970's

映画『震える舌』は50年前の医療現場を忠実に再現している。5歳の主役は破傷風の症状を正確に表現し，当時の医療環境，医療機器，医薬品を駆使した懸命の治療にもかかわらず，症状が悪化し，それに伴い両親の不安や恐怖が増していく過程が詳細に映像化される。現在との比較，破傷風の歴史，疫学，広域災害時の発生，日常生活の中での発症，医療裁判などに触れ，最終的には個人がワクチン接種で防御すべき疾患であると確認した。

Abstract

The movie Writhing Tongue (1980), directed by Yoshitaro Nomura, accurately depicts the medical practices surrounding tetanus 50 years ago. The actress, who played five-year-old Masako, skillfully portrayed the common symptoms associated with tetanus. Treatment had continued under medical environment, medical devices, and the use of medicines in 1970. In the film, the patient's medical condition gradually worsens, leading to an increase in her parents' anxiety and fear. Classical music is used to dramatize specific scenes. In this manuscript, comparisons between historical and current medical care for tetanus are summarized, along with the history and epidemiology of tetanus. The onset of tetanus in wide-area disasters and in daily life, and medical trials are also summarized. Finally, vaccination as a preventative measure is discussed.