The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-03
CAN'T FREEZE MICROBES TO DEATH.
A Temperature of-I02 Ccntigradc Fails 70
Give Them a Fatal Chill.
From the London Express.

The researches Of Prof. Dewar on LIQUID air
ARE familiar to all who take an interest In the
progress of scientific research at large. At
a recent Royal Society meeting nm interesting
communication was made on behalf OF Or.
A. Macfadyen and Mr.. S, Rowland on the
effect Of the terrincally low temperature OF
liquid air on microbes. The aim Of the in
vestors was that of asccrtaining whether the
germs could survive cold Of a degree ranging
from is3 TO lt2 degrees Centigrade.
1t Is of course known that many species
Of microbes can survive being packed in Ice,
and even higher organisms flourish in the
Arctic Circle. Indeed. the extremes Of tenn
pcraturc for low forms Of life are widely separ-
ated, and so it becomes a matter Of practical
public interest. as | shall show, TO determine
where the limits Of vitality In this respect are
10 be found. The low temperature Of liquid
air offered n supreme chance to SEQ how mi
crobes comported themselves under expos
| ure thereto, and so our investigators seized
on the opportunity presented them.
Exposed for twenty hours 20 the liquid air
temperature no injury was apparently sus-
tanned by the microbes. But in the recent
| experiments such germs a. those Of typhoid
fever. diphtheria, anthrax, cholera and other
ailments. along with ,non-discqse pro icing
| lNfNNs ' " 1t' t'll " I lfFN
for seven days. In addition 10 tho exec, lively
low temperature ] must add the microbcS
i'm this eS pertinent were subjected to a ire
mendous mechanical strain.
Then came the question OF the effects of
both conditions on the vitality of tho germs.
These results may be summed I'D in the word
nil Under the microscopes they showed no
signs of mechanical injury or distortion, and
they were rs lively-if that term may be- np-
Piled 10 denote n condition Of vi,cl!ty-as they
were previous to their chilling and cooling
experiences.
have referred TO the public interest which
attaches TO these Investigations. To know
the limits " germ life l. an essential item in
the knowledge of the sanitarian when he un-
dertnkes to show how infectious diseases caused
by microbic action can be destroyed and pre-
vented from attacking us.
II has been long known that We cannot trust
to cold asa disinfecting and gcrm-killing agency
Cold will check germ growth certainly, n fact
We SEQ illustrated by every cargo of Australian
| mutton that Ia landed NJ the docks, but II cannot
destroy the microscopic living things that are
responsible for inducing disease, and for cala-
iaG decomposition, putrefaction end a goodly
number Of other conditions beneficial md the
reverse.
The Investigations I have described con-
firm fully the sanitary teachings about cold.
They alsO emphasize another little biz 81 useful
lnforrnhtion-nainely the difference between
n substance that really kills germs and one
that merely "scotche-" them.
We're this distinction moro clearly Rppre-
hended BY the public we should probably
hear less frequently Of mysterious outbreaks
Of epidemics, which probably owe their orr
gin as much to inefficient disinfection as 10 any
other piece Of human negligence.