The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-02-18

part of the good we expect from the
establishment OF this department. Nova
adays we know that II consumption is
recognized at Sufficiently early stage, 1t
liz by no means an incurablc disease, and
this laboratory enables physicians fire.
5quently to determine when q patient Is
suffering from consumption much earlier
than they could otherwise do with GER
tainty. In this single way many lives
will be saved here. Let us look at the
account which accompanied this case.
You see, this case is young man of
twenty five. who has been sick with a
bad cough for five months. The doctor
reports the case as chronic bronchitis.
suspicious OF tubeculosis.' find very
few tltbercle bacilli. thus showing tina.
the diseaseis not far advanced Further
more, in reply TO the questions on this
list, you see the doctor tells us that there
Is no tuberculosis in this mans family.
and that so far the patient has not lost
weight to any great extent This being
the case, and the disease being still in
its incipiency. the chances OF recovery
are excellent, whereas II this case had
been allowed to go unrecognized until the
patient had become greatly cmaciatcd
and had cavity In his lung, the chances
Of recovery would have been slim.
Not only tiis, but so long as 1t was
not known that this person had consump-
ton, he would have continued To so
around, and by his careless expectoration
distribute the germs of consumption
broadcast, and almost certainly convey
the disease to others. Now lie should be
cautioned to dispose of his sputum in
such a manner as not to be a menace to
others"
Diphtheria Case.
Now j will show you" continued the
doctor. "how we make our examination
in a case OF suspected diphtheria. Here
is the dipthcria outfit which the labo-
ratory furnishes to all the culture sta
tons. 1t consists of a special box. con-
tanning wooden tongue depressor, a
sterile tube and swab, full directions to
the doctor what he must do, and blank
for him to fill out, giving information
as to the age, sex color and address
os the patient, the clinical diagnosis and
Several other points. The doctor passes
the swab over the deposit In the throat,
replaces it in the tube, fills out the
blank and then returns the outfit to any
of the culture stations up to o'clock
or to Wagner's as late as O'Clock.
Every afternoon at these outfits arc
collected by the sanitary inspectors OF
the board of health and taken TO Wag-
ner's drugstore
II go by Wagner'S every evening auout
S, and IL I find any diphtheria OUTFITS &c
turned, take them down to the labora-
tory and attend to them so that they VIII
BIO ready for examination the first thing
next morning The s@ab is reSoved
from the tube and passed Thoroughly
over the slanting surface of special
culture medium, made from coaguated
beef blood. The culture so made is then
nut into the Incubator, where 1t Is kept
at body temperature until next morning.
During this time the bacteria which were
present in the patients throat will multi
ply enormously, and next morning there
will be an abundant growth covering the
surface of the culture medium.
.I am Just about to examine two cui-
lures which came in yesterday evening,
and you can see the remaining steps for
yourself.
Here is tube of coagulated blood
serum which Is used as a culture me-
dunn for this special purpose. This tube
has not been nocuIated. The surface, you
Will observe. is perfectly smooth. Now
look at the tubes 1 am about to examine.
Here you see the surface of the culture
medium is studded with an immense
number of little white drops about the