The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-08-29
M|CR0BE CLUB.
Colorado Consump ptio n
Patient Org anize.
IDEA
Adva need as Reason for the
Unlaus ,Assoeiation-oniy
CondItion for Me m ber- q
ship 10 to be ~. 't

quiCtiy tbtlt WI n uoiiN th'NS
If anything, is known outside of It's
own sphere of action. The following
story Is actually true, word for word:
The organization is called the MI
crobe club and its membership in
cludes q dozen or more newspaper
men, college graduates, physicians and
others who have come from all over
the country and settled in Berkeley
for their health. The principal re-
quirement for membership is that the
applicant must be coasumptive and
the object of the club is helping the
sick and doing the healthy"
The officers of the Microbes are:
Head center lobe-James Phelan
Cuddy.
Right upper lobe-Richard A. Leigh.
Left upper lobe-Charles ID. Taylor.
Right lower lobe-J. w. Richard
son.
Left lower lobe-Ed Cusick.
Constructive englneer--Dr. N. A..
Wood.
Keeper of "the bugs'-Orville Gus
ick.
The Microbes were founded by
James Phelan Cuddy, ethe head center
lobe of the organization. Mr.. Cuddy
was engaged in his duties as a news
paper man in Milwaukee and during
last December was first aware that
he was afflicted with consumption.
Under medical advice he came to Den
yer and with his family located in
Berkeley, where he Immediately gath
cred around him the genial and big
hearted souls that are now numbered
among the members Of this club.
From it's inception, aside from the
fun-creating element that is part ana
parcel Of the life and existence OF the
club, good work, that of practical
kind, has been done through, the la
Dor of the organization. The sick are
visited regularly and consoled by the
stories and preaenEe Of the clubs ie)er
gates, and are relieved, II found IL
actual want or needing the delicacies
that go with the sickroom. Flowers,
books and magazines that are cheer
fully contributed by the leading wom-
en- of the town are distributed among
the sick brethren, and If there be need
of funds, food or covering these are
also supplied. #ga
The old camp of the club is situated
on Twenty-seventh street between Oak
and jefferson avenues. II is vacant
now and will remain so until the MI
crobes return from their summer trip
to the mountains. They went to the
mountains before July and now have
camp located on Johnson Brothers
ranch, near CresweIl. The camp there
is honored with nightly visits of the
cowboys of the neighborhood, who are
entertained by the music and singing
of a talking machine, as well as tie
tales and stories of the patients. They
will return to Berkeley the middle OF
September. In the meantime the head
officer is keeping watch over the sick
members that remain with him In
Berkeley
AS the honey of the bee, the egg
of the hen and the milk, blood and
flesh Of the COW constitute the real
thing in the direct diet of the con-
sumptive, they have been immortal
lied in the annals of the Microbes by
being utilized and exalted in the ini-
tiation formula Of the club. The evo-
luton of an "Out side lunger" to an
inside microbe" is amusing and unique.
Upon the occasion of the introduction
OF new candidate the members, in
the sacred space Of the consolation
chamber form a semicircle,
with the head center lobe
in the middle, seated upon an ele-
waited mock throne, at the foot of
which the blindfolded applicant for
brotherly honors is kneeling. In
chorus the secret hymn OF the club is
softly sung, while the members Of the
acting" board are making. arrange
ments for the introduction OF realism
that goes with the festivities. Out
from the semicircle step brothers dele
gated, with all the utensils of work.
Two advance to the side Of the kneel-
ing candidate, both with glasses. one
the blood OF the beef and
the other milk. A moments silence
ensues. The presiding officer then
calls upon the sun and elements to
unite in making this world for the
new candidate "a happy hunting
ground" The bugs of creation are
asked to pass benediction on the
work. AS the two members pass the
glass In their respective hands to the
candidate he is compelled to swallow
the entire contents of each. First the
one of beef blood, then the other OF
milk. While he is drinking all pres
ent call upon the gods of fate to grant
to the candidate the courage and
strength Of the OK. that he might bear
more manfully and successfully the
trials and crosses of his disease"
While the candidate IL praying for
thig courage and strength the inflated
bladders in the hands Of every mem
Der present are used to give an. in
demonstration OF the EN-
cheney Of his appeal.
Two other brothers step forward,
one carrying In his hand two raw egrs,
with large openings in each shell. {ha
other Displaying couple of. .selGdt |
chicken feathers. One err - oflaro1 /
TO ths candidate. and hs y tol4 -
! L 4 I, (, I. /. M e (. I 4, (. n :. & 4. "A N <, I i. |