Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-03

water that may produce illness. Oi
course the contamination was due tC
germs-piratical, unframed fellows
but as the water supply was drained
from an area of something like 10000
square miles the question was how tC
find the source from which they came
1t seemed a hopeless task, like finding
needle in a haystack.
Problem Is Easy
The man without scientific knowl-
edge. If confronted with such q prob
lem, might search for years before
finding what he sought. But to the
applied bacteriologist the trainer of
germs, the problem offered no terrors.
Straightaway he went to the city
whose water was being contaminated
and took a look at the germs which
were causing the trouble.
UP to that time they had been out
laws preying upon society, but to them
the bacteriologlst addressed himself,
mentally at least, about as follows;
"Now, see here, you chaps, you've got
to give in and tell me where you come
FROM" And they did.
As a hound follows up a covey Of
quail, so did the expert trail the germs
which now instead of being a menace
were a help. The water in this case
flowed ipto the reservoir from a good
sized stream, and at the first forlSfng
above the basis samples of water were
taken from both branches. One was
pure and the other showed contami-
mating germs.
The second was followed. Every time
in the upward course that another
branching occurred, the same process
was repeated until miles and miles
above the reservoir and far distant
fIn m
the bank a tiny stream in the back
woods, newly constructed pigpen
draining into the stream.
The problem was solved and the
cause of all the trouble, ten-foot
square pigpen in 10000 square miles
of territory, was discovered by the
germs with no delay.
Had it not been for the work which
they did 1t might have taken months
to locate the cause of infection. Here
then is a case when the germs did
the work and paid dividends, too. by
saving the water company many lost
customers and suits for damage or
perhaps the annulment of it's franchise.
How Used for MIX
Another field in which the applied
bacteriologist finds mighty useful
ness Is In dealing with TIE subject of
mix supply. thousands or DaDieS ole
every year in every large city of the
country from contaminated milk. Many
a farmer, the milk from whose cows is
daily used to feed small babies, would
laugh at the idea of a scientifically
painted dairy, or scientifically ar
ranged cowbarn. And yet these fea-
lures are among the most vital to in
fants.
Here, too, are many illustrations of
the Sherlock Holmes ability of germs
when properly handled One of the
largest milk dealers IN New York who
handles thousands of cans of milk,
found some weeks ago that 100 cans
OF his milk were being thrown out by
inspectors every day because their con-
tents We're sour. AS his milk came
from all parts of the state he was in |
despair to locate the trouble, which |
was serious one for him, involving
the loss OF hundreds OF dollars every
week because of destroyed milk.
Then the man of the new profession,
The applied bacteriologist, was called
N. As ressi. q -.,c.- eigcavered by
'ampling, k-@scn like, that in the water
'ase. and watching for the telltale
germs. that one creamery more than