The San Francisco call., 1910-06-16
STRAP HANGERS" ARE MENACED BY DEADLY BACILL

hours after a guinea pig was inocu-
lated with the general cultures from
the strap the tiny animal was seized
with spasms indicating blood poison
ing, and died In all Is pigs were used
in the experiment, and while all did lot
die. those that did clearly demonstrated
the danger to which the patrons of the
car lines are constantly exposed.
Or. Dannenbaum began his work
June ,, taking his material from 8
portion Of streetcar strap about an
eighth Of an inch in diameter The
strap was taken from a crowded
northbound Kearny street car at 5
D. m.. when traffic all over the city
was heavy. It was Immediately taken
in hand by the bacterioiogist whose
five DAYS OF work has resulted in the
startling announcement that, while the
diseases scheduled were actually dis
covered, a number ~of others might
have been discovered If there had been
proper facilities for investigation.
Typhoid. smallpox. measles, scarlet
plague and dysentery are all enum-
Grated by the physician as possible dis
eases which may be carried on the
straps and from the straps on the
fingers OF the citizen into his home
and among his family.
That no possible error might occur
fn the experiment. DR.. Dannenbaum
personally attended to every step of
the investigation. assisted by Assistant
City Bacteriologist z. G. Kendall. AS
soon as the strap was taken to the
laboratory a general smear Of one
sixth Of a grain Of material was spread
on glass after the portion had been
Iaacersted in distilled water. Six
plate cultures were then made and
allowed 10 incubate for from "a to As
hours. The number Of colonies were
then noted under the laboratory instru-
ments and the growth OF the bacteria
examined. It was observed that there
we're IS different varieties and tbese
were put in sub culture on slant agar
Pigs lnOcuIated
Following this. stains were made Of
each. Of the IS kinds and then it was
possible TO identify the particular
species Of germ life represented. Fif-
teen guinea pigs were secured that
were in a perfectly healthy condition
and each inoculated with material
from the slant culture tubes in which
had been placed one OF each of the 2e
germ formations.
Within Sc hours after being inocu-
lated two Of the pigs died Of blood
poison. As the days have stretched
out since June 4. when the first in
oculation was made, the pigs have
died-not all of them, but enough to
prove that death lurked in the street
car strap and that a human being
could have contracted the disease and.
-unIess 4 battle was made to save the
victim. have died.
From this point in the experiment.
= scientific segregation was made of
the varieties and then Or. Dannen-
baum's report written. as reproduced
in another column. He insists that the
P car strap is one of the greatest sources
. OF infection and a positive danger to
the travelling public. Among the
THOUSANDS of persons who travel daily
across the city hundreds of them have
cQnta giOus disea In some cases the
disease may be hereditary and in
'curable and the sufferer Indifferent.
Everybody, whenever the occasion re-
QNires it, grasps a strap and in this
way the diseases are conveyed from
one unhealthy person to another who
may be healthy. Each strap repre-
sents a handful Of bacteria. among
which are the bacilli which Dr. Dan
nenbaum reports and which kin within
Ss hours q healthy animal
Straps UncIean
These straps hang in place from one
years end to another. AS long as they
fast. they are undisturbed and un-
cleaned In the instance of the Kear-
ney street car strap. it had lost its
original color by several shades, and
while the part around the support was
dust covered and crusted, the lower
n
typical OF thousands of straps used in
the local streetcar lines.
on the segment OF strap removed in
the laboratory it was found that there
were $4,000 bacinl spirilli and micro
.cocci. These were colonized on a sur
face smaller than an eighth OF an inch
in diameter and were principally Of the
staphylococcus and streptococus varie-
ties, q pathogenic species which will
attack any exposed membrane or possi-
bic field of incubation. like a bruise,
cut or open wound, the tissue Of the
mouth or throat. In a case Of infection
in 4 cut or wound the strap offers an
unrivaIed opportunity for blood poison
ing. with the possible prospect of lock-
Jaw or tetanus The more virluent dis
eases. such as diphtheria and bubonic
plague. were not demonstrated because
OF the lack of facilities. ErysipeIas.
which causes death after a long or
short period of excruciating pain and
suffering was demonstrated aS urare