Rust does not cause tetanus. This notion stems from the oft-repeated claim that stepping on a rusty nail will give you the disease. There are valid scientific reasons, discussed below, for using a ...

Tetanus is that dangerous disease we adults always associate with summer. It’s not a coincidence. The tetanus toxin can be introduced into our bodies through burns, splinters and deep puncture wounds.

If it has been more than 10 years since your last tetanus booster, the answer is yes—whether or not the nail was rusty. Tetanus is caused by Clostridium tetani, a type of bacterium commonly found in ...

Beth Skwarecki is Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor, and holds certifications as a personal trainer and weightlifting coach. She has been writing about health for over 10 years. Rusty nails are ...

'Twas but a scratch, a centimeter-long slice deep enough to shed drops of blood that made perfect circles as they fell onto the sand. It seemed no more harmful than a paper cut, drying up quickly and ...