Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-16
The Detection of Microbes.
0ondon StandardD

Among the auxiliary scientific inyestl-
cations included i'm Sir Richard Thorne
Thorne's Supplement to the Twenty
seventh Annual Report Of the Local Gov
eminent Board, just issued, an account
is given OF the chemical and bacteriologi-
cal constituents of different soils. Dr.
Houston has conducted an exhaustive in
qury into this subject. and DIR. Sidney
Martin has continued his own researches
into the presence Of the typhoid bacillus
in soil previously sterilZed The latter
Investigator found, as in his former OBJ
servations, that some soils were prima
face favorable and others unfavorable TO
the growth OF the bacillus. Soils OBJ
viously polluted with animal organic mat
ter sustained while virgin soils proved
hostile to the life processes Of the mi
crobe Virgin soils were hostile. I'm the
above sense whether or not they con-
tanned abundance of vegetable organic
matter. In a particular experiment with
sterile organicaly polluted soil, the ty-
phoid bacillus maintained its existence
for 456 days. and towards the end of this
period the "soil culture" OF the bacillus,
after il had been dried and powdered TO
dust. still yielded the microbe In Ylable
condition, and. presumably. In vlrulent
phase. DR.. Martins more difficult task
OF testing the ability OF the typhoid bacil-
lus To maintain itself in soil I'm which II
Is brought In competition with other bac-
terra IS as yet I'm it's initial stages. but
has Welded an interesting result I'm one
instance. I'm which the typhoid bacillus
survived for fifty days In competition with
other micrO-organisms. but had not null
tiplied 1t was, in 1882, the dictam OF sir
George Buchanan. the predecessor or Sir
Richard ThOrne Thorne in Ollie, that IN
regard TO the quality OF given water
"the chemist can. In brief. tell OF Inn
purity and hazard. but not Of purity and
safety" that while we must ever be on
the watch for the indications that chem
lstry affords OF communicating matters
gaining access to our waters, we must 'at
any rate till other methods or recognition
are discovered go beyond the laboratory
for evidence OF any drinking water being
free from dangerous organic pollution.
For this purpose, IL was alleged, I'VE
must go I'm search OF the conditions sur
rounding water sources and affecting
water services" on this point, the pros
ent Medical officer says that. notwith-
standing the aid which since 1872 has BEEN
rendered by the bacteriOlogist, II may be
doubted whether we are yet In possession
of laboratory methods for the prompt and
certain recognition Of uniform purity and
safety OF water. But II Is said there can
be no question at all that In bacteri0loSy
we have a ready means OF detecting ccn-
terminating matters in waters which, n m
the point of view Of the chemist. would
be classed as "of high degree OF purity
Examples are given OF the delicacy of
bacterioscopic tests, as compared with
chemical tests in detecting undesirable,
il not dangerous, ingredients in water.
Iarfu "A
cording certain Joint experiments By Drs.
Klein and Houston. These observers,
added to a number OF separate samples
OF sterile distilled water various mini
mar quantities Of raw sewage, obtaining
thereby sewage dilutions ranging le-
tween one in 100 and one in O1O. Tfese
they proceeded 10 test severally, ch1mi-
cally, and bacteriOscOpically AS result
OF their procedures. they ascertained tat
while the majority OF their sewage di.u-
tlons would be classed chemically as az
least organically safe drinking water
they had no difficulty in detecting In .ach
and ali OF them certain Objectionable
bacilu They were able 10 identify one
description OF these microbes in liquid
made M OF only one part OF crude sewage
I'm each 10000 parts OF distilled water
Similarly. they succeeded In obtaining the
same objectionable bacilli from a sample
of Thames water taken below Stain 80.
In another part OF tho Medical Officers
Supplement. reference is made 10 cases
I'm which oysters appeared 10 have been
the cause of enterlc-fever The report
states il must now De considered demon
strated that as long as the sewage OF
Rrlghtlingsea discharges as sewage into
Brightlngsea creek, so long will material
risk attend the consumption OF oysters
obtained from laylngs there. II is oh
served with satisfaction that the coun-
ell OF the recently-formed Urban District
OF that place are now bestirring them
selves with the preparation OF a scheme
which aims at dealing with the sewage
OF their district In such a manner as
shall obviate pollution OF the oyster lay
ings. The history Of this affair is sutii-
GENTLY serious. In the summer and
autumn OF 1897 twenty-six persons resid-
ing In various parts OF Essex and Suffolk