The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-05-02
TYPHOID GERMS IN THE SOIL.
They Have The Ability 10 SuUiYe For Months In
All Wea,hers.

The medical report of the local gov
ernment board. though dated last
month, is just issued. and 1t gives an
account of some important experiments
made To ascertain the ability of the ty-
phoid b~4ilus to maintain it's existence
in organically polluted and I'm virgin
soil, says the London Standard
The report states that on testing each
OF II samples of SOIL qualitatively and
quantitatively for bacillus enteritidis
sporogenes, DR.. Houston ascertained
-that-ift none of three virgin soils al
most free from vegetable organic mat
ter, nor i'm other three virgin soils which
abounded more or less in vegetable
matter. nor i'm an unmanured orchard
soil, could the presence OF spores of this
microbe be detected: that in the case
of other three soils abounding in vege-
table organic matter, but reputedly vir-
gin, and also in the case OF certain un-
manured orchard and garden soils.
spores of bacillus entertdis. though
detectable, were for the most part pres
ent in relatively small quantity only
whereas i'm every one OF other five soils
an orchard and four manured garden
soils these spores were not only readily
found. but were present I'm greater rel
atiNe amount than IN which were
were unmanuered, or In three re-
putedly virgin soils similar soils
which had been found to contain them.
Finally. i'm a sample of soil which had
been recently and heavily exposed to
pollution by excrement. and in one
other soil which probably had been
more remotely exposed TO considerable
eXcremental pollution. spores or bacil-
lus enteritidis were found in exception
ally large quantity.
In continuation of his researches into
the viability of the typhoid bacillus in
sterilized soil DR.. Martin has submitted
70 experiment nine additional samples
OF earth. Soils obviously polluted with
dntmdt UTgHutC matter suStUtned
while virgin soils proved hostile TO. the
life processes OF the microbe. Virgin
soils were hostile I'm the above sense.
whether or not they contained abun-
dance of vegetable organic matter. In
sterlized soils favorable To the typhoid
bacillus, diverse temperature, provided
always the soil remained moist. made
little difference To the microbe. IL
maintained itself in such soil at 81 de-
gress centigrade t9S FahrenheiD at the
ordinary temperature of the laboratory
tions (3 degrees To- 16 degrees cent?
grade) of an out t-of-door shed. In a
particular experiment with sterile or
ganically polluted soil, the typhoid bac-
illus maintained it's existence for 456
days and, furthermore toward the end
OF this period this soil culture" OF the
bacillus, after IL had been dried and
powdered 10 dust, still yielded the mi
crobe I'm viable condition, and, presum-
ably In virulent phase.
Dr. Martins more difficult task "
testing the ability OF the typhoid bac-
illus to maintain itself in soil I'm which
it Is brought In competition with other
bacteria Is as yet I'm it's initial stages.
but has already yielded interesting re-
suits in one instance. To n mixture OF
the several sterilized soils which were
found favorable TO the life processes OF
the typhoid bacillus, and In which bac-
terra belonging TO the bacillus coil
group were ascCrtained 10 be predoml-
nant micro-orsanlsms. ne added broth
culture VI the typhoid bacillus I'm the
usual way. and placed the sample thus
inuCulatel in an outdoor shed. the
temperature of which ranged during
the experiment between degrees and
l6 degrees e. ~ the end OF 30 DAYS the
typhoid bacillus was recoverable from
this soil et the point az which It had
been inoculated. 10 had survived In
competition with the bacillus coli and
like microhe- organisms hut had not
multiplied.
The same report says Notwithstand-
ing that the baCteriologist has since
1882 come 90 our aid. 10 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.