Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-30
GROWTH OF GERM ASSURED
Discovery by Marine Hospital md
Public Health Officials.
VICTORY FOR UNITED STATES
Work of Physicians at Leper sta
ton Gratifying to Scientists.
Probable Results.

that leprosy will lose It's terrors as an
fncurable disease. The surgeons OF the
public health and marine hospital serv-
ice have succeeded in cultivating the
germ outside the human body. This Is
the first step that was taken in diphtheria,
tetanus and other diseases that have now
been mastered by serums and vaccines.
II Is regarded as a great victory-not .
final victory. but like carrying the outer
works Of q stubbornly defended citadel.
The leprosy germ was first isolated by
Henson In 1879 Since then unremitting
efforts have been made to grow the germs
outside the human body This Is neces-
sary In preparing the sort OF a curative
serum that the physician needs to work
with. DR.. Moses T. Clegg OF the marine
hospital service at Manila announced last
December that he had succeeded in pro-
ducing the independents germ. and when
word came from Molokai, one Of the Pa
CHIC islands. leper colony. that the sur
geons there were on the same track DIR.
Ciegg was rushed to the island from
Manila TO help in the work.
Scientists at Leper Station.
The men who have been doing the
work NJ the leper station are Dr. Donald
Currie, who won fame in the fight
against bubonic plague on the Pacific
coast. Or. Walter Brinkerhoff and DIR. H.
I. Holman. The leorosy bacillus IL de-
cared to be OF shy and retiring dispo-
sition. The doctors cultivated and PAM
pefed IL as never a germ was cultivated
lefore. Ii was fed in egg cultures. beef
broth. the amelia OF pond water and the
low organisms from the intestines of the
guinea pig. In TACT. II was given all the
cnan~es 10 grow that had been successful
Wan liner germs.
All efiofts seemed 10 fail. but after four
months OF work. just as the scientists
VIE aDout 10 give up and destroy their
cultures. IL was found that some OF the
germs were living DR.. Clegg then tried
giving them a tonic OF cholera infection.
Iney seemed TO thrive on this. and finally
the scientists succeeded In eliminating the
cholera virus and all the other undeSir1-
BILE elements. and grew the germs in what
Is known as a pure culture. They now
have the germs bred for ten generations.
and they seemingly are as pleased over the
success in breeding this loathsonie form
of low life as though it were some new
song bird Of gorgeous plumage
Marine Hospital ofbcers Pleased.
And their success has been hailed with
praise by the marine hospital segvice. for
II looks at last as though the way were
open TO conquering the disease that has
stood since Biblical times as the uncon-
querable malady of the world. 1t will
take long and hard work. Ii Is conceded.
10 push the victory to a satisfactory con-
elusion II may be months or years be-
for a proper serum Is cultivated. but the
way seems opened and the end Is In
eight. II will no longer be case o.
cropping IN the dark. as has been the case
NH oil n "a n.
ternationai leprosy congresses could re-
port was that they had tried certain
drugs and thought that they acted a.
palliatives.
20 ahead and attack the disease with
Its own weapons. and, as has been the
case with so many other germ diseases.
will be able. doubtless. to undermine
the infection with some of the degener-
ate chi.uren Of its own brood
Detection Of Disease Probable.
II is believed possible also that the
doctors will be able to devise a leprosine.
like the tuberculin now used. that will
detect the disease in its earlier stages,
when a cure is a much more simple
matter.
II may be generations before the dis
ease is stamped out. or even curbed.
among the ignorant people Of the
tropics. but IL is confidently believed II
will cease to be a menace to civilized
communities and may be gradually
brought under control over the whole
world. so that condemnation of a suf-
ferer to the seclusion of a leper colony
will no longer be a sentence TO a living
death. and when the nurses and work
ers n such colonies will not have to
feel that they are resigning more than
life itself when they take up work
among the sufferers.
Victory for United States.
This arst triumph over the disease Is a
victory. too. for the United States gov
crn-aent. II is the direct outcome OF tho
establishment OF the government station
NJ Moickai for the scientific study o:
leprosy. THIS station was sluippct
ave years ago and put under the d.
rec.ion OF the putS~ health and marine
hospital service. II was in line with
the policy OF this government for max
Ing scientific study OF problems azri-
cultural or medical affecting tile welfare
OF the population.
70 was the first time thar any govern
ment had undertaken the scientific study
Of leprosy. There have heretofore been
only individual investigators For sew
eral years small progress was made, but
the cultivation OF the germ as the prob
able basis OF a curative serum is con-
sidered by physicians as much more than
Yepaying all the trouble and money that
has been spent on the problem.