New-York tribune., 1910-11-10
SCIENTIFIC HEALTH WORK
New Department for American
Museum of Natural History.
WILL COLLECT BACTERIA
Central Bureau of Distribution
Planned-Pubiic Exhibit of
City Water Supply.

new field for museum work has been
developed by the creation by the American
Museum OF Natural History OF a depart
ment OF Public Health. emphasizing it's aim
to develop scientific work along practical
lines directly beneficial to the masses of
the people
It was announced yesterday that the
trustees had placed at the head Of this
department Professor Winslow, formerly
Of the Massachusetts Institute OF Tech
nology, and that he plans to build up the
new department along two somewhat dis
dnct lines, bacteriology and municipal san
itaJion
X was said at the museum that there
was at present no comprehensive collection
Of bacteria in this country and that work
ers who desired authentic cultures must
send TO Prague for them, unless a neigh
boring laboratory happened to have the
particular organism desired. The new de-
partment in the meteorological laboratory
now being equipped at the museum will in
stall and keep under cultivation a COM
piete collection of bacteria, securing ma
teriaI from colleges and boards of health
laboratories in this country and in Europe.
The museum will accordingly be in q. po-
sition TO act central bureau for the
distribution Of bacteria, supplying the
needs of corresponding laboratories and Of
schools and other institutions which may
occasionally desire cultures. Such a bac-
THEOLOGICAL collection will furnish also
when established an exceptional oppor-
-JInitv for studies Of the systematic rela-
tionship Of this group. in which a better
biological classification is greatly needed.
The public exhibits Of the department
will deal chiefly with phases Of municipal
sanitation. and the central idea will be to
set forth some Of the conditions which
affect human life in cities. Temporary ex-
hibits will be prepared to illustrate the his
tory and development Of the more iInpor-
tant phases of city life.
The first OF these exhibits. for example,
will deal with the problem Of water supply
sanitation, illustrating by models and
specimens. as well as by photographs and
charts the sources of water. its collection
for public use, the danger Of infection, the
development Of microscopic alge and pro
tozoa in reservoirs, methods adopted for
publication and resulting effects on the
public health.
The history and development Of the pres
ent and future sources Of water supply of
New York, an engineering undertaking con-
sidered to he second only in magnitude to
that OF the Panama Canal, viii be graphi-
cally represented. The chief features of
these temporary exhibits will be preserved
for d permanent exhibit OF public health
such as several German cities now possess,
but Of which there is no example in the
United States.
It was also announced at the museum
yesterday that the near future promised
rapid development in the museums in
struction for the blind, owing TO the iona
than Thorne Memorial fund. This work is
under the supervisor Of the department Of
public education. which has long had an
interest in museum instruction for the
blind. bur could do little outside Of its reg
ular lecture courses because all permanent
exhibits were of necessity within glass
cases.
Future plans, it is expected. will allow
close cooperation with the teachers Of the
blind throughout the city.