ic sockets can hurt....

[deathbringer07]

wow... when i was pulling out the ic from the socket 3 hrs ago(it was unsoldered), 4 pins went through my skin... it bled like crazy for about a minute, then it stopped.. when the bleeding was over, my index finger was swollen to the size of a small grape and it stings.. it was so painful that i thought a pin was left inside.. but when i checked the socket, all pins were intact.. whew... now i can't play guitar because of my swollen grapelike index finger(it's color violet, too!)..

[axg20202]

Ouch. Probably a bit late for this advice, but an IC removal tool costs very little and makes plucking out ICs much easier.

[deathbringer07]

maybe a small flathead screwdriver will also do the trick...

[jakenold]

Wash that thing thoroughly with soap and see a doctor if it persists.

mfg Jake

[Plinky]

Hope you had your tetanus shot.

[deathbringer07]

i can't remeber the last time i had a tetanus shot. what's the symptoms of tetanus anyway?

[axg20202]

hehe. You wouldn't be typing (or even sitting at the PC), if you had developed the signs and symptoms of tetanus - it causes quite violent skeletal muscle contraction, so you'd be stretched out on the floor right now with a very unpleasant grimace 

[deathbringer07]

is the effect that immediate? it happened only 4 hrs ago...

[axg20202]

No. The bacterium needs to establish an active infection (multiply) and produce the toxin which causes the symptoms - jaw tightness/neck stiffness, sweating, throat irritation or muscle spasms. I would expect the IC socket to be pretty clean. Lld dirty garden tools, nails etc can be a route of infection, but even if you'd stepped on an old rusty nail in the garage it would still be an unlikely outcome. Relax - I would be very surprised if you had tetanus. Clean the wound properly with some anticeptic and maybe get some ice wrapped in a towel on there to reduce the swelling.

It's the first time I've had to offer a medical opinion on this site. My bill's in the post. :-)


Oh, and another thing, if you've ever had a tetanus shot, you are highly likely to have some residual immunity  - even if you haven't had a booster in the last 5-10 years. If you are worried, you could always go and get a booster jab.

[MarcoMike]

easy!
tetanus doesn't exist anymore! it is a virus, which lives in say "dirty" places as where animals live...
there isn't any straightforward relationship between (rusty)metals  and tetanus.

[axg20202]

Not a virus - it's a bacterium, but yes, it is found in soil etc, and has only been associated with rusty nails because they tend to be found in the same places that anaerobic bacteria like. It does still exist but infections are rare in developed countries with modern immunisation programmes.

[deathbringer07]

hmm.. ur right.. i didn't buy the socket from a farm.. and from what i've read on the net, the number of cases are pretty low here in the philippines...

[axg20202]

I'm an infectious diseases specialist and have never seen a case....

[96ecss]

maybe a small flathead screwdriver will also do the trick...

That's what I use and I've never had a problem.

Dave

[Auke Haarsma]

just out of curiousity...

..what's the name of the circuit you were working on? Since it almost killed you I hope it is something special

[Valoosj]

wow... when i was pulling out the ic from the socket 3 hrs ago(it was unsoldered), 4 pins went through my skin... it bled like crazy for about a minute, then it stopped.. when the bleeding was over, my index finger was swollen to the size of a small grape and it stings.. it was so painful that i thought a pin was left inside.. but when i checked the socket, all pins were intact.. whew... now i can't play guitar because of my swollen grapelike index finger(it's color violet, too!)..

Pictures? 

[dschwartz]

was the IC a vintage JRC4558D??
cause if it is, you can get infected with mystical superpowers!!!!! and start talking and playing like SRV and stuff..

[birt]

SRV had a swollen finger? 

[dschwartz]

no, he had a swollen soul....