Evening journal., 1900-02-23
ANALYZ|NG
HUMAN MYSTERIES
Wonderful Work Of the lnstitut,
of Chemistry, BacteriOlogy
and Pathology
ANALYzED THIS CITYs WATER

AN ARTICLE RELATING TO THE
INSTITUTE PUBLISHED BYl
EvERYBODY's MAGAZINE WHICH
WILL BE OF INTEREST TO THEl
READERS or THAT REPORT.
Readers of the Evening Journal will
remember that we recently published
a meteorological report OF two samples
Of water, one taken from the spring
at Fourth and Franklin streets and one
from the city service pipes. The report
was from the Institute OF Chemistry.
Bacteriology and Pathology, OF New
York. to which the samples were sent
by the Evening Journal.
Eyerybodys Magazine for March
contains an illustrated article, "Analyz-
ing Human Mysteries" In which APP
pears illustrations of this institution.
with an account OF the wonderful work
il does in solving chemical and bac-
THEOLOGICAL mysteries. AS the articlel
will interest readers of the water re-
port, we reproduce part Of IT.
The most potent factors in the
great homicidal trials OF the day that
will go down IN the history Of criminal
Jurisprudence are the toxicologist. orI
chemist; the pathologist, or student OIL
morbid matter; the bacteriologist orI
seeker OF the organisms that create dis
ease the alienist who makes a study
Of degeneracy In general and OF the ac-
cused in particular; and last, thought
not least the medicO-legal luminaryI
who frames the hypothetical question.
1t is OF the first three that we treat
in particular, as their evidence is I'M
general of paramount importance orI
value to the prosecution.
when the victim of a poisoner be-
comes a subject for analysis, the in
vestigaticn is generally given To the
faculty OF some great medical labora-
tory by the authorities representing
the people. This is done for the pri-
mary reason that It is desirable TO get
the evidence OF the most eminent ex-
lperts. who from their standing would
lhaye no advantage 10 gain by soliciting
the patronage Of the district attorneys
office. The second reason for this
course is. that Boards OF Health being
generally the creatures of the political
faction at the moment supreme it might
be charged, and perhaps at times just
ny, by the defense. that political anilia-
tions created bias against the accused
and the ends of Justice would be de-
feated
1T is here that science reigns su-
lpreme The pathologist first views the
body. and sees from its morbid condi-
tion that death was not the result Of
what Is termed natural causes" This
/, lopinion is confirmed by the bacteriolo-
: gist. who examines the tissues for the
3 apparent cause OF death; and both are
confirmed by the chemist. who has
} made an analysis of the viscera The
results Of the three. each confirming
the other. are then drawn up like a
legal brief. and given 20 the authori-
ties seeking the information. 1t is in
this manner that the most subtle poi
sens are detected, and the chain Of
evidence welded around the hapless
wight who by his crime has brought
, himself within the pale OF the law and
the shadow of DEATH
4 1T was at the Institute of Chemistry
I Bacteriology. and Pathology. 40 East
Z Forty-secOnd street. New York, the
: celebrated Emma Gill case, which
! shocked the country a little while ago,
was worked up. and the telling evidence
of the pathOlogist so frightened the de-
Tense that they induced the accused
! woman Nance Guilford. to plead
8 guilty TO the crime OF numbering the
unfortunate girl by malpractice, and
o atterward cutting the body up, the bet
tor TO conceal her crime
THE men who direct the affairs OF
THIS institute are Dr. FarQuhar Fergu-
ron, man so prominent in his pro-
=, fession that at the recent Medical
Congress held in Berlin he was unani.
Z mously elected to the chair; Professor
Rudolph Witthaus of Cornell Univer-
,sity: and DIR. Ferdinand Jenries. who has
the reputation ofhavingwalked OF thehos
2 pitals. OF Europe. and was for some
;. years baoteriologist for the Carnegie
Laboratory and Bellevue Medical Col
o lege.
They endeavor to accomplish, I'M,
aided by subsidy OF any kind. as mucl
in the domain of science as the heav
Z fly endowed schools OF Europe: nota
p bic among which IS the Jenner Insti
I" tue OF Preventive Medicine, In London
recently lowered by Guinness, the Dub
y lin brewer. with the prinoely sum o
le $i250.0 600.
D. so careful are the faculty in th
conductor these cases, that the scientist
ie on quitting his study. always locks tn
!, door and places a seal upon Il, so tha
|, no one can enter and tamper with tn
subject under Investigation. He q
therefore able to trnthiully swear tha
no one had access 20 the room durini
N his absence. not even his assistants
he The medical evidence used in tn
f. Molineux case was prepared in this In
n sutute, where every day scientists ar
n al work analyzing mysteries so subtl
N. that they would seem TO defy all ef
d. forts at elucidation."