The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-27

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
You SEQ that turbid liquid? Ten thousand
people might be killed II that were used
with evil design"
The City Hospital physician in charge of
the bacteriologita al laboratory thus spoke to
a Sunday Republic reporter the other day.
The physician was laughing and shaking
a test tube which contained ar amber fluid
slightly clouded with some foreign matter.
That liquid continued the physician.
that liquid contains millions of typhoid
fever germs grown over night-enougi to
inoculate every person in the city with the
diseaoe. II the contents were poured into a
well every drop Of water would be Infected.
and"
And IL you we're to spill some of the
stun now?' anxiously asked the reporter.
The doctor shook the tube a little more
vigorously and answered cheerfully:
"Oh. you or 1 or half a dozen others who
come into this laboratory, might get ty-
phoid. fever. 1t isn't well to spill germs
arouf d. especially fellows like these. as
they are the most active and virulent that
1t Ia possible to procure. We don't keep any
hut active ones. Others are no good for orr
rrrtose. When they get stale or worn out
or Gle We burn them. and grow some more.
We grow a batch of the typhoids every
Cay. But they have to be kept pretty we'll
corked up while they are alive"
The physician then put the test tube back
IN a rack which contained other tubes, also
freigtted, as the physician declared, witt
germs equally potent and healthy.
Then he stepped across the laboratory
end picked up a piece CT fiat glass about 8
inches long and an inch wide. Upon this
was q flmy discoloratio1. Pointing to it
in Q familiar way. the physician
Gated another bit Of interesting intelligence.
That" said he, 'is tubercular sputum.
rA nAs,eS~hNo a host Cf fihorctlQr UQrmG'
without danger. of course" remarked
the reporter somewhat nervously.
mot At ALL" spoke the doctor: mot at
IN without danger. There's always danger
IN handling tubercular germs. Perhaps
thGgUis none from this particular specimen.
,But you SEQ we handle hundreds of speci-
meuA. They may dry UP, and. upon in
Eaaatsiy small dust particles. be blown into
!. The cir. then breathed in by whoever hap
;psns along"
"Aad I may be breathing in consumption
x1gAt noWf'
"NnAotly.' answered the physician. as II
plsAsed that he had been understood in at
tsAGe = particular.
4 laboratory is always. nowadays. an
inpeetant department of q ~well-appointed
hoapltal. Its practical use in treating thu
alck = chiefly to aid in making diagnoses.
II dlphtheria Is suspected. and the un-
mi9eA1Eabls diphtheria bacillus found in the
1absratory. the diagnosis is positive.
% With tho various sicknesses and dis
ea0os that plague humanity. In some In
stances the bacteriologist can by his labors
only assis. the diagnosis and point out that
this or that is the most likely conclusion.
In other cases, as In diphtheria, the bac-
teriologfst can make a certain diagnosis.
In any case, the laboratory. aside from
its use for purely scientific research. is a
direct help to the general physician in his
- xvfHlr <Ia ava that lf11
As the City Hospital is the largest hos
pital In the city. the laboratory is operated
on a larger scale than any other in the
city. Very frequently other hospitals refuse
to diphtherla patients. and near
ly all such cases. and cases of similarly in
foctious diseases. are sent to the City Hos
pltal. Each case means work for the lab
Doctor ". E. Hall. senior physician at the
hospital, bears The brunt of this work at
the present time.
When the uninitiated man steps into the
hospital meteorological laboratory the
chief. characteristic OF the place seems to |
be confusion. In one corner is a steam
oterflixer; near 1t a germ incubator. In the
middle OF the room IL a long table upon |
which are many bottles and tubes contain |
ing liquids Of all the colors OF the spectrum. |
There arc two cupboards. many shelves, |
and other apparatus. Yet there's q method |
and q meaning In It all.
Judging by the habits OF the germs |
which are kept here, they are, despite that |
II takes . strong microscope and an expe- |
T1enced eye to zee them. most eccentric or.
ganismA IN physicians admit that there
- moro trouble to grow them properly thar |
IN rearing . delicate plant. Doctor Hail |
oaDd that he had been three weeks trying to |
develop q good tetanus culture COLONY of |
goEms). for no object nave the satisfaction |
Of doing It - the scientific books say It can |
Be done.
Typhoid fever b p~rsvaient at he present
ttms: and . description Of the uses Of the |
0pous baocdlN In combating the fever |
ahoWt the practical use Of the laboratory. |
thes9h other p~athogsnic germs have a. ne.
es,iiar and difersnt characteristics and re- |
a1ro e much care In the handling. |
l~ogAooxtcal though It. may seem, the |
us3ent1st uses 'virulent typhoid germs to |
naas H. test fer typhoid fever. That 10 !