The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1900-10-25
A sEARspoRr BOY ABROAD.

friends at home:
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, Oct. 8, 1900.
Dear Friends: As some OF you have
been so kind as to make inquiries con-
corning me and my work, 1t seems only
falr for me to answer these TO the best
of my ability. Let us imagine that l
am answering direct questions, as this
will give an excuse for skipping from
on subject to another with no logical
sequence. In accepting position as a
member of the Faculty OF Boston Uni
versity l asked for, and received, leave
of absence till Jan. 1901; this time has
and will be given to the study OF my
speciality and to the collection of GER
tain specimens for the University.
In Glasgow | acted as assistant to
Prof: Robert Muir, the we'll known au-
thority Oh bacteria. While here the
bubonic plague, that scourge of the
East, broke out in the city. For time
excitement ran high, but thanks to a
very efficient Board Of Health, the fear
soon disappeared. 1t may be well to
say that in the recognition and treat
ment of this disease the microscope
plays very important part. The en-
tire microscopical and pathological
work was done by Prof. Muir and his
two assistants. OF course the danger
was considerable, but to be one of the
three who only were allowed to do the
work was a rare opportunity and one
not to be missed. AS a result we have
an experience which but few English
or American pathologlsts possess.
When at work we usually wore gloves
and long aprons which were afterwards
burned: all our instruments were i'm
merSed in carbOlic acid or some other
antiseptic and later were thoroughly
boiled. In word the precautions
taken were extreme, as they well might
be. Details of the work would be out
of place here, one example being suf-
ticient. Two or three drops of blood
We're given to me for examination for
pus microbes; upon examination |
found numerous plague bacteria. This
general wards of our largest hospital.
and the plague starting there would
cause frightful results. Needless to
say the patient was removed to the
contagious hospital in way the Amer
leans call ''hustling." Fortunately we
were in time and no bad results follow
ed: this is an illustration of the value
of the microscope in medicine.
Let us now turn our attention to mat
ters of more general interest and see
what Glasgow has to show the tourist.
/ That which easily obtains precedence is
the coming International Exposition of
next summer The location is tx elvin
/ Grove Park" in the West End, next the
beautiful buildings of Glasgow Univel-
versity. Here the buildings are adyanc-
ing rapidly and bid fair to be an honor
to the second city in Her Maiestys
dominions.
OF the shipping of Glasgow. and for
twelve miles down the Clyde, no men-
ton need be made to a Searsport au-
dience. Pleasure trips innumerable cen
tire around the city, undoubtedly the
most attractive being to Dumbarton
Castle, Loeb Lomond and the Trossachs,
a circular tour easily done in a day.
1t is far beyond the powers of my pen
70 describe the beauty of this scenery
The distance is largely covered by steam
ers ON the two lakes, Lomond and ka-
trine. | went for a solitary walk at one
place and finally reached the summit of
Ben Voslich, about 5000 feet high.
Here an admirer of Scott would be
able to understand as never before many
of the beauties of his poems, as within
sight are Ben Lomond, Ben Venue, Ben
"a L
low is Loeb Lomond looking like long
its surface. Other interesting places
within a short distance are Edinburg,
Sterling with its castle, Bannockburn
and Ayr, the birthplace of Burns. Five
hours by boat carries one over a delight
full route to Giants Causeway.
Last week | left Scotland going to
Liverpool by boat and thence to Birm-
ingham by train. After riding out a
gale in steamer with no cargo and lit
tie ballast we entered the Mersey river
under the yellow flag, Glasgow being a
qua rantine port. The medical examina-
ton, however, was a farce. Liverpool
seems to be a great place for live stock,
which even inhabits ones sleeping apart
| ments much to the visitors subsequent
discomfort. In the sea coast cities
modern Improvements have a fairly
good footing, but here in Birmingham,
far from the water, the capital of the
midlands, and the home of the Hon.
Joseph Chamberlain, we see old England
in its glory.
During the last four centuries Britain
has seen the origin of but two III iver-
sites, one some years ago at Manches-
ter, the second last Monday evening in
Birmingham. During the evening there
were of course several speeches by the
| leading men, general display of the
buildings and an exhibition of patho-
logical specimens with descriptions.
In this last, at the request of Prof.
Leith, were exhibited specimens of
plague by a former resident of Sears
port who received his first impetus on
the road to learning in Dist. No.2
In the laboratory of Birmingham
University all the pathological work
for the centre of England is done. This
consists mostly of examination of
typhoid and diphtheria cases averaging
about ten a day. AS l am at present
doing this work, it, with some tissue
and blood examinations, occupies my
time quite fully.
The latest excitement is the General
Election. This has resulted in a vic
tory for the Conservatives, the party
that has been in power, by a majority
of 1852 in total of nearly $50 members.
Birmingham is very pleasant city,
but as before stated is rather old fash
toned. There is one line of electric
cars and few horse cars, but most of
the travel is by ''bus," a wagon carry
ing a dozen inside passengers and an
equal number on top.
The streets are lighted (?) by gas and
MOONLIGHT, As a change. however from