The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-20
BOSTON'S GERM PRISON.
How Scientists Investigate Depraved Ba-
cilIn Characters.

From the Boston Transcript.
Millions of ravaging disease germs ara
fostered and fed in the meteorological
laboratory which Is owned by the Boston
board of health. There are all kinds OF
bacilll, from the bubOnic plague specimen
which has the power TO extinguish hu-
man life in the short period of a few days
to the dull. half-dead mites that require
years and years of frequent, even contlnu-
Gus, attacks In order 20 deprive man or
the pleasures Of life. There are descend
ants of germs who did their last deadly
work in some remote part Of China or
India, germs which have caused much
sorrow In the very heart OF this city,
gnawed off the heaviest bonds of friend
ship, and brought poverty into families
that were comfortable and Independent.
Maybe there are microbes that have tTaY-
eled the country over In futile quest OF
victims or assailed the living as well as
the dead on the mysterious bottom OF the
sea. because this great collection is gath
cred at different times from minerals as
well as organic matter. 1t is an army
that could produce an awful calamity were
it set at liberty and given proper direction
toward that end.
There are people in Boston who fear
actually lose sight of the effectiveness Of
the method whereby il is kept and cared
for, and they even allow this unwarrant-
ed fear TO interfere with business pros
poets Here is an example: The labora-
tory Is located in the Sudbury Building.
on Sudbury street It's quarters being
somewhat unsatisfactory for the work.
the board of health sought premises near
eF the center Of the city, and finally OD-
tanned an option on suitable rooms. Prepd-
ratiOns were made for the removal OF inc
laboratory 10 the new location, but al the
last moment the owner Of the bulldlnS
changed his mind In accordance with ms
grOundless fears and the laboratory had 10
remain in the Sudbury Building. POSI-
bly, ii will be taken into the old court
house after that structure has been reno
waited and enlarged.
II may be useful. therefore. TO look into
this bacterial camp. the scientific nrlsOn
of so many enemies OF life and IIappi-
ness Death turks in every corner like
feasting parasite. without nope and wlth-
out desire to escape, everywhere watched
by the bacteriOlOgists, who handle II with
calm and authority. Under the conditions
there is absolutely nothing. 10 fear the
good health of the doctors and attend
ants will attest. Every little group or
germs kept I'm stock lies imprisoned In a
glass tube. drenched In serum or agar,
which while IL feeds the microscopic or
Bdllsm, Also prevents us t7tdPt even "a
the stopper were removed from the mouth
of the tube, and each tube Is sealed with
paraffine. No germs can rise from the
media and sail in the air They arise
only when they are dry, and they are
never dry except when the bacterioiOgists
dry them or glass slide over a not IRE.
which kills them. All the material which
g. used In the researches Is destroyed By
fire as soon as the experiments are COM
pletea, excepting the glass reeeptaeles aud
InstPume nts Whi1h can be CleangGd by
chemical solutions. Animals injected with
the more dangerous germs are not kept
I'm open iron cages during the incubation
period: they are put INTO glass bowls AMI
excluded from all chances Of coming into
contact with anything which might trans
fer the disease. Summing tho story up
IA Il few words. Ire laboratory Is as safe
90 health as any Office or dwelling house.