The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-11
A CENSUS OF GERMS
DR.. Corbett Looks For Bacteria in
the Postoffice.
FINDS 1000 TO THE CUBIC YARD
Tests VIII Also Be Made In Schools
and other Public
Buildings.

In every cubic yard Of air breathed by
employees of the main working-room of
the Minneapolis postoffice, there are APP
proximately 1000 bacteria of various
sorts. A large proportion Of these are
so7calBed pathogenic germs, those that
may be. injurious to the human system
under certain circumstances. DR.. J. F.
Corbett, city bacterioogist made the
count and will vouch for its correctness.
This is the first of series of invest iga-
tions Of the air conditions in various of
the large buildings, public and private, in
Minneapolis inaugurated by the health
department. 1t is quite new thing in
the United States, and has never before
been attempted in Minneapolis. In some
of the European cities, elaborate investi-
cations have been made along this line,
with the result of a distinct improve
ment in the conditions surrounding work
Ing men where gathered in considerable
numbers and in the hospitals and other
public buildings.
DR.. Corbett began with the postofice
from the fact that it is a place where
complaints have frequently! been made
by employees OF woeful lack of ventila-
ton in the building
In getting at the figures as to the num-
Der of bacteria floating in a cubic yard
of atmosphere, the health department
savant had first to catch his bacteria, then
to develop them in an incubator and,
finally, with the aid of the microscope,
count them. The first process was made
easy through the use of an ingenious com
binat1on of water bottles connected by
tubes. AS the water passed out of the
bottle the air came in and was there Sc
curely held awaiting the next process.
The air was taken from the main work
lng-room on the first floor while the
operation Of sorting mail, etc., was in
progress and the conditions generally as
near the normal as possible. -.
1t was about three weeks ago that DR..
Corbett obtained the air and he has since
been occupied in developing the germs and
making his calculations. He finished his
task this morning. .,-s. =
So far as he has gone in the work it has
but little practical value from the lack Of
comparative statistics on the subject
Eventually other Investigations will be
made, to include the courthouse, city hall
public library, city hospital, the schools.
and probably some Of the big Office build
ings and other places where men are con-
gregated.
In the opinion Of DR.. Corbett air con-
tanning 1000 germs Of all sorts to the
cubic yard is not an ideal atmosphere
for Workingmen. 1t should be materially
better, but so far as he knows at present,
tue conditions IN Other buildings In Min
neapolis in this. regard may be no better
and possibly are a good deal worse. The
only comparative statistics at hand come
from Paris, where the health department
mas made pretty thorough investigations
OF the germ conditions in the hospitals,
schools, etc. The air of one Of the Paris
parks was found to contain but II bac-
terra to the cubic meter, approximately
the same as cubic ward. One Of the
public laboratories showed $50, and two Of
the large public hospitals, neither thor
oughly modern, $500 and II 900, respect
lively. In schoolrooms devoid of ven-
t1lation, the number of bacteria varied
from 1900 to 100000 per cubic meter