Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-19

striking test 1Or the presence OF typnO1u lever
This test is based upon the fact that when the
fever has lasted for about two weeks, a certain
substance, called agglutinin, is engendered IN
the blood of the patient which causes the bac-
terra to adhere together. rabbit or a guinea
pig, selected the victim to science, IS injected
with typhoid bacteria, develops the disease, and
in due time yields agglutnin. When it IS de-
sired to ascertain if a patient is suffering from
typhoid, specimen of blood is extracted and
placed under the microscope.
Hunting for Typhoid Germs
THIS method of diagnosis is conducted SO fire.
quently at this Government laboratory that
the visitor has chance OF witnessing Tor him.
self the very simple and efficient method that
science has hit upon to determine the presence
or absence of typhoid. When the drop of blood
is placed under the microscope, the steriliZed
platinum wire is placed in the aggutinin from
the animal, and the result, upon which may de-
pend a human life, is watched with the calm
eye of science. Should the process called ag-
glutination-that is, the Joining together in
chains and clusters of the baCteria-be OBJ
served. then it is determined that the patient
IS a sufferer from typhoid fever, and the proper
treatment can be proceeded with forthwith.
The value of this test is evident to anyone
and the role played by the rabbit or guinea pig
is considered to be a very important one. 1t
has been argued, however by antivivisection-
lists, that the agglutinin could be obtained from
human sufferers from typhoid with whom the
disease had run the course necessary for the
production of the substance. 1t IS explained
that the bacteria cultures are never kept long
being transferred for various purposes, or else
entirely DESTROYED.
Indeed, that portion of the laboratory in
which the work of the destruction of the bac-
terra is conducted is worth the visitors in
spection. 1t resembles at first view, nothing
50 much as a good-sized kitchen, and on the
central table is huge painful of steaming water,
in which can be seen numerous glass culture
vials. This is the death bath of the germs, the
steamng fluid being nothing more than hot
water with solution of soda. Herein are emp
tied enough bacteria in the course of week to
spread several ravaging sCourgeS over the entire
land should the minute but terrible organisms
find conditions favorable to their propagation.
AS an example of the truth of this assertion,
one disease, ASiatic cholera which is extensively
bottled at the laboratory, may be instanced.
Should a jar of the germs of this dread pest-
lence be emptied into the supply of drinking
water of this city, it would not be long before
the city, and ultinat ely, perhaps, the entire
country, would be in the throes of pestienCe
which would assume sinister and historic i'm
portance, devastating life by tens of thousands.
Should like mischance happen with bottle
of bubonic plague germs the result would
probably be far more terrible and far reaching.
Gruesome Kitchen
THUS it is that the visitor may well look with
some degree of concern at the proceedings
going on in this germ kitchen The neat looking
young men employed here. though, 60 about
their avocations with no evident feelings of
perturbation. They prepare and destroy bot
ties of cholera, plague, or typhoid with no ap-
parent emotion whatever, is there to be
seen among any of the doctors employees
the masks and bandages that operating sur
geons now wont to sort of germ
proof armor. Everybody about this establish
ment, in which death and disease are bottled
in such awful forms, seems quite healthy.
Besides being bottled. the diseases are pre-
served in dry glass plates in substance that
looks like jelly, which is in fact. gelatinlike
product that has lately been introduced from
Germany. Many of the beautifully delicate
tnts of rose color, Nile green, lilac, and yellow
are communicated not by any artificial color
ing matter but by the germs themselves. some
of the most deadly producing the most beau
tful colors. 1t is conceivable that should one
of these deadly plates of jelly-for the germ
colonies therein are very much alive and active
for destruction-be left carelessly about ord-
nary premises, little Johnny might be tempted
to partake of the appetizing looking substance,
with results more deplorable than those which
accrued to the urchin who swallowed the sea
anemone
1t is the hope of the bacteriologist that prog
along this line of research may lead to the
discovery of Natures methods for fighting the
dread germs of disease and utilizing them so
effectively as greatly to decrease human misery