El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-02-23
GERMANS DIE
Of OWN GERMS
Propagate Them for the
Allies, Lose Secret and
Lives in Laboratory.
the VS. ID his laboratory IN the
(ContInued from page ID

the visit to his laboratory till the
last.
Erlach took me to a small labora-
tory where there were housed a num-
Der of rats and mice in cages. Some
were already dead, and others lay in
a state of semi-stupor. These little
animals had been extensively expert
mented upon by the bacteriolOgists
who had infected them with various
germs.
From a dark cupboard in one cor
ner Of the place, Erlach took a small
phial which he showed me with glee.
Here in this little phial" said Err
lachs lis the great discovery, the
secret which told you Of" And with
this he carefully replaced it in the
cupboard, locking the door after him
To Spread Germs in Bombs.
That little phial," said Erlach,
contains the germs Of a disease more
frightful than the plague, because
much quicker in its action, and even
more infectious. Two persons in
fected might cause devastation in
city like London. We shall spread 1t
broadcast in shells and bombs. and
by any other means which are likely
to be successful"
I inquired from Erlach whether the
Germans would not be afraid to use
such dreadful methods, lest they
themselves should become infected
NO" said Erlach, when the germs
have been exposed to the atmosphere
for a brief time they become in
nocous. Those people who breathe them
in Immediately after the explosion
Of a shell or bomb viii surely die"
The Bitter Bit
A few days after TWO OF Erlach's
colleagues were discovered by the
professor lying dead on the floor Of
the laboratory, and near to them was
found an open phial, which had con-
tanned the death dealing germs The
two men had been stricken with the
disease while experimenting, and had
apparently died in great agony. En-
alarmed at the discovery The fear
of the Infection spreading created
terror in his mind
never again saw Eriach. for soon
after he himself became infected. and
died the terrible death which he had
intended for others. Prompt meas
ures were taken to prevent the spread
Of the disease Within an hour En-
lach's laboratory containing the three
corpses was a mass Of flame having
been set alight by an incendiary
bomb fired from bomb thrower
some distance away.
Kaiser for Germ Scattering.
Other workers engaged in the lab
oratories were isolated for some days
as q precautionary measure but no
further cases Of the disease were re-
ported as far as knew, so that 7
came 70 the conclusion that perhaps,
after all, Erlach's discovery was not
of such 4 vital nature as he had
thought, at all events Insofar as the
rapid spread Of the disease was COIL
cerned-
greatly depressed at the loss Of the
secret, and ordered the most exper-
fenced psychologists to set to work
Immediately in an attempt TO Fedls-
cover il. Whether they have sue
ceeded or not, I am not in position
to state but this much I do know, IN
the laboratories Of the fatherland
clever chemists are working fever
ishly along the lines pursued by the
former professor, whose body was
consumed in the flames OF his lab
oratory. I am sure that II they sue
coed. they will not hesitate to make
every use of the same barbarous
method which Erlach intended to en-
Midnight ReveI by Grown Prince.
Nearly all the public buildings IN
Essen are now in the hands OF the
military, so that amusemeutS are
rather rare, but the chemists have
had set apart for their use a speciouS
hall. in which concerts and dances
take place. Often an evenings pleas
ure developed into an orgie OF drunk
The heir to the German throne was
staying at the Villa huegel. and was
invited to q performance in the hall
He turned up during the evening,
obviously under the effects OF drink,
when g girl was singing a sentimental
The s'Brudershaft" or loving cup,
was, by the orders Of the prince,
passed round time after time, until
the whole company was more or less
inebrfated. Then the prince called
loudly for the girl who mad been
Singing, and demanded the pleasure OF
dancing with her before the company.
Together the pair waltzed on the
stage. the prince being very unsteady
In his movements. Eventually ne
reached a condition at which ne
could scarce stand upright. and final
lv collapsed. Friends had to prac-
tically carry him to his car, In which
he was driven away to the villa
Copyright. 1918. by Van der Linden