The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-10-19
MATCHING DIPTHER1A GERMS.
Denver Doctors Getting to the Root of tn
Dread Disease

Denver Doctors Getting to the Root of the
Dread Disease
Denver, Colo, Oct. 1S.-Dr. Crouch.
bacteriologist of the health board, is
just now engaged in Matching out the
dread bacteria the source of diptheria.
His hatchery is located on the fourth
floor of the city hall, and there. with
microscope and incubator. the cultiva-
ton of the germs of disease goes on
night and day.
The small vegetable growth is quite
an epicure, and declines to feed upon
| anything except the blood of calves.
But it has d ravenous appetite, and
once before a feast of fresh blood, it
grows rapidly in size, and in twenty
four hours, the species so propogates
itself that millions evist where before
no sign of vegetable life existed.
The utmost care is taken in preparing
the food for the germs Of disease. Blood
drawn from the calf is allowed to stand
until it coagulates and the liquor is sep
Grated from the clot. Then the clear
liquid is drawn into test tubes. and
subjected to the heat until 1t coagulates
From this process the serum is secured
which serves as food for the germs of
disease, particularly those of diptheria
which at this time are being especially
hunted for. No fancier ever took more
pride in a brood of high-priced fowls.
than DR.. Crouch does in a colony of
germs that grows so rapidly on his
hands that it is liable at any time 10
cause all other tenants 10 move out Of
the quarters.
With a plentiful supply Of serum for
bacteria, the germs wax fat, and where
there was nothing before that could
bs discerned by the naked eye, once ac-
70
heat OF the incubator so rapidly do the
germs multiply that within a day they
can readily be seen with the naked
eye and increase SO that they number
millions.
With each glass tube continuing blood
of the calf is small sWab. The person
who wishes to examine the throat where
Giptheria is suspected. takes this swab
out of the tube, runs it across the throat
and then rubs il across the surface of
the blood serum, transferring the germs
of disease from the throat to the blood
serum upon which they grow. Then the
serum with germs attached is placed
in the incubator and kept at the tenn
peratur of the body for twenty-four
hours. The frisky germs once feeling
pretty we'll. thank you, take care of
themselves TO such an extent that when
the day has passed. they can be seen
disporting and the invisible cause of all
the trouble has increased TO an alarm
ing extent.
The particular germ causing diptheria
IS found in all severe cases. Sometimes
the cases which resemble diptheria do
not contain the specific germ. and
these are always mild cases. But just
as there are severe and light cases OF
scarlet fever and other malignant dis
eases. there are severe and light cases
of real diptheria-
The very light cases would go unde-
tected except for the culture method.
and would spread the disease IN Just
as malignant a form as II taken from
severe cases The disease is spread
among children by the use OF the pen
eli or anything. particularly. that comes
IN contact with the mouth. \ child
who has 2 light case may cause the
disease 20 be communicated TO another
little one by both using the same slate
pencil. for instance. The chief value OF
culturing the germ is 20 discover the