The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-11-12
Or. Glass Says He Has Olscev-
cred Germ That Breeds Disease
The MlCR0BE THRlvES IN MILK
Many Experiments Made 90 Mice, Swine
and Gulnsa-Plgs-Sums Curious Facts
About Tho Found GsIm.

'Ail the evidence, so carefully collect
ed. goes to show that the diplococcus.
discovered by DR.. Class. is the germ OF
scarlet fever"
This important statement appeared
few days ago I'm the London Lancet,
which is universally admitted to be the
most authoritative medical journal In
the world. Even to laymen Its signi-
ficance will be at once apparent. and to
all Americans IL will surely prove OF
special interest. for the reason that the
man who has at last found what scores
OF others have searched in vain for Is
a Chicago physician.
This fortunate scientist. whose fun
name is William j. Glass. has discovered
I'm cases of scarlet fever a peculiarly
shaped microbe which. he Is confident,
is the long-looked-for germ of that dis
ease.
His attention was first attracted to-
ward this singular microbe about TWO
years ago, and ever since then he has
been collecting data In. regard TO IL. lie
soon became convinced that he had dis
covered the germ OF scarlet fever, but as
others had made similar claim before
him and had been proved to be in error
he refrained from blazcning his discov-
cry abroad and contented himself with
describing the result OF his experiments
from time to time before one or two medi-
cal societies
Indeed, If IL were not for an unexpected
incident IL Is doubtful II the full story
OF his discovery would even now be made
known TO the general public.
A few weeks ago two German doctors,
Adolph Bsginsky and Paul Sommerfeld,
announced In a Berlin scientific Journal
that they had discovered a germ which
they believed to be the cause OF scarlet
fever. DIR. Class heard this and he at
once sent TO the Lancet an exhaustive
paper, showing that he had discovered
such germ long before the German doc
vtors.
ATTRACTS ATTENTION ABROAD.
In this paper. which Is now attracting
wide attention in medical circles through
out Europe, he gives an interesting ac-
count OF his experiments. The germ, he
says, is what Is scientifically known as
''diplococcus scarlatina," and IL is con-
stantly present In cases of scarlet fever.
Sometimes IL forms chains and at other
times clusters.
Dr. Glass has found II In three hundred
successive cases and he In absolutely
certain that II will be found In the blood.
throat, secretions and scales OF every
typical case OF scarlet fever.
He made many experiments with IL on
animals, selecting for this purpose mice,
swine and guinea-pigs. and tho results
which he obtained were certainly curious
and tended 10 strengthen his conviction
scarlet fever.
All the animals were more or less af-
fected by the germ. Mice proved to be
the most susceptible. death. as a rule.
following within twelve hours after the
subcutaneous Injection OF small quanti-
~ of vtrulent culture Injections of
this Kind produced no effect on swine,
except when very large quantity OF the
culture was used: but. on the other hand.
iptra- abdominal injections were followed
ny grave symptoms and even by death.
Guinea-pi were also killed. by intra-
abdominal injections. More remarkable
lures of the germ into the veins Of white
swine, produced I'm them a disease re-
sembling scarlet fever.
STRANGE FACTS ABOUT THE GERM.
A strange fact about this germ. or
'diplococcus,' according TO It's discoverer.
is that IL IL found not only In cases of
undoubted scarlet fever, but also I'm cases
of scarlatinal sore throat and of surgical
scarlet fever. The natural conclusion at
whlch ne arrives Is that, N this is really
the germ of. scarlet fever. the nature OF
these hitherto debatable diseases Is now
clearly established
He also points out that this gem will
grow In milk without causing any visible
change In II, and, commenting on this
statement, the Lancet shows that many
epdemics OF scarlet fever have been con-
nect.d win mix, notable instance be-
ing the outbreak In Marylebone, which
was traced TO the milk that was dis
tributed from dairy farm I'm Hendon
l)r. Ciass rightly maintains that from the
anepo mest s'hn1pon6 n1pp q public health this IS
ne says, that cows are known 10 be sus-
ceptible 10 scarlet fever taken IN connsc
tion with the fact that the 'diplococcus
i,,, scnriatiha Is probably secreted In the
MIX OF these animals. will explain how
this milk, which spreads the disease is
Infected" :"