The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-04
HOHBBD OF GERMS.
IS THE CAPITOL
Important Discovery Made by
Mr.. Elliott Woods.
GREAT VARIETY OF BACILLI
That of the Grip PreponderateS-Te-
tHnus. Tuberculosis. Typhoid.
and AnthrHcis in the List.

The Capitol building has been found 10
be a hotbed Of germs, many Of them Of
dangerous character or the latter. those
Of influenza predominate
The discovery has been made by Mr..
Elliott Woods. Acting Architect of the
Capitol, who. in addition to his regular
profession. unites that Of meteorological
4Dort-
Architects have hitherto been content
with repairing, renoyatiDS. remodeling. OF
making additions 10 the building, while
it has probably been photographed by
every owner Of a camera visiting or resi-
dent in This city. Mr Woods has been
the first TO apply the microscope to it.
and he has developed truly remarkable.
II not startling, results.
All sorts of Germs.
Mr., Woods found that the building has
been a hotbed for germs. among which
ne has discovered those Of tetanus. or
iockjaw; tuberculosis. typhoid. anth-acis.
streptocci. and Influenza. or grip" the
latter largely preponderating.
In order to give a faint idea Of the
prevalence Of these small but insidiOus
enemies OF humanity. il may be mention
cd mat on piece Of carpet one irch
square from the floor OF the House OF
Representatives were several millions Of
microbes. the greatest number being in
il evidence
Mr.. Woods conducts his ARCHAEOLOGICAL
experiments in the laboratory OF the
Architects Office OF the Capitol a one
stored frame structure painted white
adjacent 10 the building occupied by the
Marine Hospital Service
Here Dir. Woods has been quietly giving
his attention to his novel lice OF work
with a view chiefly toward determining
the effectiveness Of the Vcntiiating Sys-
tens employed in the Senate AMI in the
House.
Method of Operating.
He first obtains a number Of plates.
three inches in diameter, covered with [
storilized gelatine. These have been fur
nished him largely by the Marine Hos
Uital bacterioIogists- He exposes these
plates in the localities in which be de-
slres 10 make his experiments. and in a F.
Few minutes, perhaps he has obtained /
number Of promising germ colonies on |
each plate.
These colonies are then. in the labora- /
tory transplanted 10 culture tubes filled I
with sterilized solution Of bOuiIlOn and /
herein the microscopic creatures fulfill I
The dlctum OF increasing and multiplying I
with extra ordinary CELEBRITY. They arc /
next examined under the miscroscope I
and their character ascertained-
This is the most difficult part Of the 1
proceeding. for. as Mr.. Woods observes, !
the air we breathe IS laden with mi /
crobes, indeed, we could not exist with D
out them.
This being the case. and there being I
such a vast variety of innOCuous germs. I
the distinguishing Of the dangerous de- I
scripuons in the colonies developed from /.
the geiatine plates. promiscuousIy ex- /
posed, becomes a matter Of great difh- I
Guilty.
A Difficult TnSE-
The microbe. be ne OF what sort he I
may. is not possessed Of any strong indi- |
Nidual and personal traits. being wholly 4
invisible to the naked eye, and much like /.
the head Of a pm under the microscope.
II takes. indeed. considerable meas /
ure OF experience, TO say no lfng o. pa (
t.eucc. TO distinguish the varieties OF mi I
crObe5. but the necessary qualifications .
for the task are possessed by Dir. Woods 4
IN an eminent degree
He was assisted IN the case OF Identity /
ing lhe influenza germ in rather re- !
markable and uneEviable manner by Z
CHANGING 10 contract the disease himself /
He vas thus enabled 20 obtain what he I
kne.- to be. in slang parlance, the real /
thing" and 10 compare II with the cul- /
ture colonies originally obtained in the !
Capitol
In doing so De was perfectly astounded /
10 discover the extent % which the pro-
ducers Of grip" IN the human system had
established themselves in the home { he
National legislature They have been 3c-
cumlatng, according to his theory. for
many years.
Germs OF Malignant Diseases.
The fact that during the civil war the /
Capitol was utilized as a hospital ac-
counts for the finding in the leg
islatiye chambers. as well as in va
rious committee rooms used for the
housing OF the sick and wounded the /
germs Of various malignant diseases /
These have been found TO prevail chiefly F..
in places in which there was imperfec'
ventilation, the free circulation Of the F.
air doing much toward preventing the /
accommodating OF The microbes.
With the improved system Of yentila-
tion now in operation in the Senate cham /.
Der. the proportion Of disease microbes ,
found upon the gelatine plates exposed /
there and in the chamber OF the House Is I
as seven in the former to twenty-three (
in the latter.
These tests were made for FIVE minutes !
each. the plates being placed IN horizontal T.
positions IA the chambers allowing the .
bacteria 20 settle thereon
A Congress of Microbes.
The fact that Senators and Members I
are not otteher subject 10 disease amid /
all these microbes speaks we'll for the 1
general physical organization OF both 1
legislative bodies.
Perhaps the tiny creatures have con- I
tracted, from their human cOufreres. q /
disposition TO DO business in a deliberate !
and methodical manner, and, Indeed. il !
has even been suggested by one daring 4
theOrist that they have organized a con- /
gress CT their own, and that nothing is I
done without due formality and the carry /
ing Of a motion by the majority.
Thus, according 10 this hypothesis, the /
fact that war has not yet been. declared /
between the microbes and their human /
ueighbors is satisfactorily accounted for. /
1t IS said that the lockiaw, or tetanus. /
contingent, who are, however. n the .
"bull' be permitted, largely 10 the minor .
ity, can hardly be restrained during the Z
progress Of long debate and that they
are az present contemplating a reyOlu- /
ton in the micrObe world, in order that /
they may wreak their vengeance on the I
human kind.
PerniciOus Activity.
As it is they have, as might naturally
be supposed. little voice. and indeed are.
according TO their nature, not given 70 /
speech, but rather to action. Should they
succeed IN displacinR the peSceably in /
cllned lniiueuZas. streptOcci anthracis, /
etc, from power the Senators and Mem .