The herald., 1893-10-31
THE BREEDING OF BACTERIA.
A Subject Of Interest to Every
Living Soul.
The Nature, Habits and PrOclivities
of Microbes.
An InteIIigible Paper an an Abstruss
Subjsct-A Walt to the Laboratory
of n BscterioIogist and what
IS Seen There.
ny ARTHUR JOHNSTON. ]

as a scientist, but only to discuss in
be of interest to every living soul, since
it bears such close relation to the well
fare OF the human race.
Though the term 'micrope" is "famil-
lar in our mouths as household words" >"
there is curious lack of knowledge OF the
true nature of this organism, not only with
those OF the general public, otherwise
ell informed, but even among writers
who venture to assume the role OF in
etructors.
OF tie truth OF this statement the pc
rusal OF articles dealing with this sub
ject, which periodically appear in print,
will give sufficient assurance. Espe-
cially would call attention to paper
originally published in the San Fran.
cisco Call, but reproduced in last Sun
days HERALD, entitled Why People Go
Blind, aud wh,chi is the melting cause OF
these observations.
Speaking OF the prevalence OF diseases
of the eye, the writer says: at appears
that from % to 40 per cent of the cases
OF blindness in ths country are due to
the malignant action OF q minute
microbe which physicians call coccus,"
dtlU uc ichInCuit Ahin
crobe is sometimes described as a plant
and sometimes az an insect"
This preposteroue definition OF a mi
crococcus, which, by the way, is probs.
bly, that known by the name Of the
"Dipplococcus of Trachoma," would be
about paralleled by reference to po.
tato as 4 vegetable tnat is sometimes de-
ecribed as q tree and sometimes as
bird.
1t lie conceivable that in the course OF
time evolution might convert the latter
into giant OF the forest, but that a
micrococcus could ever become an in
sect is no more possible than it would be
not euilt that way.
What, then, are these microbes, or
bacteria, as most scientists prefer to call
them?
Come with me to the lab oratory OF
bacteriologist and let us see if what we
observe there will afford any clue to the
mystery.
As we enter the room and look around
we see that it is furnished with several
tables and well filled shelves, besides
other paraphernalia, the nature and use
of which we do not recognize. The first
ODJCCb VhAokSo Jul es
tention is an iron tank resting on tri-
like boiler, and in fact it is boiler,
though it is called a ''sterilzer." In
this kettle are boiled, or rather steamed
for the water does not touch them
the tubes and the culture material they
contain. This culture" material is
simply broth or jelly made OF beef or
~ l.A ,oI nv
BILE matter which may happen to please
the iastidious taste OF that particular
microbe which is intended to be expert
mented with, and which will be subse-
Quently introduced into the tube.
In the meanwhile-by means OF this
boiling-any obtrusive microbes, that
may have surreptitiously obtained ac-
cess, are reduced to "innocuous disue-
tude."
CHANGING at the shelves we see hum
dreds OF these tubes which are made oi
glass, placed in bunches OF dozen or go,
in common tumblers or III stands es-
pecia,ly made to hold them. They are
shaped exactly like the tubes used to
keep fresh the button-h bouquets
worn by the aesthetic youth OF our cities,
only larger. They are each plugged
With G %isp of eottca which projects ;s.a
inch or go above the top and serves to
exclude, not the air, but any organized
bodies that the air may contain. Though
there may be clouds of bacteria floating
in the room none can pass the charmed
barrier OF ne cotton plug.
Thus the tuoe are kept free from any
kind of microbes, except those espe-
cially intended to be cultivated. Each
of these tubes then contains its own
particular species, the name OF which is
written on the label pasted on the out
side. 1t may be that OF Asiatic cholera,
diphtheria, typhoid or tuberculosis, or
it may contain one OF those species OF
bacteria which are harmless or even
beneficial to mankind, such as the
"bacillus butyricus" and allied species,
without which many Of us would have
to 90 on shor. commons, for without the
help of these bacteria, churn we never
go wisely, the golden Jumps would be
very backward in making their appear
ance, and our cheese would be uneat-
able.
It is not necessary here to discuss the
method by which these several species
are obtained and introduced into these
tubes it ia enough to say that each in
dividual species is carefully separated
from the mass of animal or vegetable
matter that may surround it, and from
any other species that may accompany
it, and, while being thus kept isolated,
ie introduced into the tube which con-
tains the food on which it thrives best,
end which, as already mentioned, is
free from any organism, OF whatsoever
kind.
What is that strange looking instru-
ment on the table over there by the
wall which supports that heavy-looking
knife? -.
DO not feel its edge to find out
whether or not it is sharp-take the
fact for granted, or you may chance to
stand in need of some sticking plaster
before you leave. That is micro
tome" and is used to pare off thin fakes
from any animal or vegetable material
which it may be desirable to examine in
search of bacteria, or for any other rea-
son.
We cannot take time to investigate
this machine any further; we may stay
long enough, however, to be informed
that it is capable OF cutting sections 30
thin that 1000 OF them, piled one on top
of the other, would not attain the
height of quarter OF an inch.
Now we approach the table on which
rests the main object Of our visit--the
microecope--that wonderful instrument
that has opened new universe to the
observation of mankind.
On the stand, directly under the tube
through which we shall presently look,