Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03
HAVE NO POWER TO HARM.
How Germs Are Handled in BostoD's
BacteriOioGicaI Laboratory.

-''S''ti
Millions of ravaging disease germs are
fostcred and fed in the archaeological lab
oratory which is owned by the Boston
board of health. There are all kinds of
bacili. from the bubonic plague specimen
which has the power 10 eXtinguish a human
life in the short period of a few days, to
the duh. half-dead mites that require years
and years of frequent, even continuous
attacks. in order 20 deprive man of the
pleasures of life. There are descendants 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 friendship, and brought
poverty into families that were comfortable
and independent. Maybe there are mi
crobes that have Travelled the country over
in futile quest of Victims or assaulted the
living as well as the dead on the mysterious
bottom of the sea, because this great col
lection is gathered a different times from
mineral as we'll as organic matter. 1t is an
army that could produce an awful calamity
were it set at liberty and given proper d.
rectiOn toward that end.
There are people in Boston who fear this
army to such an extent that they actually
lCse sight of the effectiveness of the
method whereby it is kept and cared for
and they even allow this unwarranted fear
to interfere with business prospects. Here
is example: The laboratory is located in
the Sudbury building on, Sudbury street
Its quarters being somewhat unsa tisfactory
for the work, the board of health sought
premises nearer the center of the city and
finally obtained an option on suitable
rCcnS. Preparations We're made for the
removal of the laboratory to the new loca-
ton, but at the last moment the owner of
the building changed his mind In accord
aEce with his groundless fears, and the
laboratory had to remain in the Sudbury
building. Possibly it will be taken into the
old court house after that structure has
been renovated and enlarged.
II may be useful, therefore, to look into
this bacterial camp, the scientific prison of
so many enemies of life and happiness
Death turks in every corner like feasting
parasite. without hope and without desire
| to escape, everywhere watched by the bac-
| teriologists, who handle it with calm and
authority. Under the conditions there Is
absolutely nothing to fear, the good
health of the doctors and attendants will
attest. Every little group of germs kept
in stock lies imprisoned in a glass tube
drenched in serum agar, which, while 1t
| feeds the microscopic organism, also pre-
vents its escape even If 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 psychologists dry them on a glass
| slide over hot fire. which kills them. All
| the material winch IS USED IN Inc researches
| is destroyed by fire as soon the expert
ments are completed, excepting the glass
| receptacles and Instruments, which can be
| cleansed by chemical solutions. Animals
| injected with the more dangerous germs
are not kept in open iron cages during the
| incubation period: they are put into glass
| bowls and excluded from all chances of
coming into contact with anything which
| might transfer the disease. Summing the
| story up in a few words. the laboratory is
| as safe TO health as any office or dwelling
| house.