The sun., 1897-05-31
D1pHrHnnrA ooLLEcroHs, DAH orr
oad Industry That Keeps 1--WE Nen Busy Unasr
the Health Bcard.


For tho first time in year the diphtheria col.
lectors OF New York will have days rest to-
day. There arc two OF these men who make
tour OF the city cvery day with the exception Of
Memorial Day, gathering up supposed diph-
iberia for the Health Board and carrying II In
satchels down TO tho Criminal Court building,
where there is enough diphtheria bottled up to
kill an army, for they breed hundred diph-
iberia cultures over there every day In the week,
and some days tho cultures run up In num-
bers to exceed two hundred. But there is no
danger OF any OF the germs escaping after onco
getting into tho clutches of the Professor In the
meteorological laboratory.
Come right in," he said to . goodlooking
young woman who tapped at tho door and thon
opened it. Como in, madam; what can do
for your
"I-eh-camo to 500 II this was tho Health
ofico." said the visitor.
Part of II" said the Professor.
Well-eh-I wanted to find out when my lit
tie brother can go to school," remarked the
young woman. HE had the diphtheria, but
he's better now."
" see," said the Professor, but you had
better inquire downstairs. Sec DIR. Benedict on
the first floor or DIR. Blnuvelt on tho top floor"
, But the elevator man said this was the diph-
Hes tight replied the Professor, "but we
have there on that shelf sevcnty.fve tubes filled
With 1t. and when put them in tho incu'
The young woman had fed. She had heard
enough and ran out of the office door and down
the stairs without looking for further informa-
There was no need Of her being scared" said
the Professor after she had gone, I've got
out q tSSs: nG no o how
he he tried Those arc the culture tubes We
Various parts OF Of the city, established at certain
drug stores. At these drug stores or culture
saeh
Of wire with a wad of cotton on the end Of 1T.
Amy doctor can 60 to one of the culture stations
the place where a case OF dipntheria is suspected
Of existing. swab the patients throat, and leave
the results at the drug store The collectors
III we find what we are looking for. the case
as OF ano
that 4 person buying house wants to know
something about Its previous condition as re-
partment and find out whether any case Of diph-
iberia has ever been reported from that house.
lures from the medical school inspectors in Or.
Ike na I'm Rres hs
such case: Then we decide down here whether
THE men who collect the cultures carry big
satchels. One has a route along the east side
collector reaches the culture station he finds q
bundle Of cultures tied up, ready to be put In
his satchel. Not long ago druggist uptown
tied up package of medicine to be sent to the
house Of customer and his clerk tied up bun.
die Of diphtheria cultures. Tho two bundles got
mixed, Our collector got the medicine ir his
was was sent to the house % where tie medicine ought
to have gone. There was never druggist in
New York got the fright that fellow did He be-
icine might open up the culture tubes and take
a dose Of diphtheria. But they didn't. They
had sense enough to read the labels on the cuf-
ture tubes: Then they telephoned to the drug
gist and also to our office. asking us to send