The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-02-18

l and her husband.
and all were applied to the great in
dustry of war.
Erlach showed me round the Ia
boratories and introduced me to 9TH
er chemists. Once he pointed out to
me as the discoverer of a new and
most deadly form of gas, which had
special effect upon metals.
At Erlachs request this chemist
demonstrated the gas. The case OF
an old metal watch was placed be-
meath a glass-case arrangement, and
a pipe, through which the gas passed
was fixed. After being stepped in
the yellow gas for few minutes the
metal case was taken from beneath
the glass and handed to me. To my
surprise the metal crumbled away il
flakes, the action of the gas have
practically rotted it.
I was told that this particular form
of gas was to be used when the winds
favored it, against the mechanism OF
the big guns which were working
such havoc in the German lines.
believe, however, that owing to its
tendency to dispense rapidly in the
air, the desired results have not beer
achieved.
In another part of the buiIdins
metallurgists were busily engaged il
their special branch of research
work. These gentlemen, too, appeared
to be highly pleased with a discover,
which they had made. 1t was a new
alloy, lighter than aluminium, mucl
stronger, and possessing the resistin;
power of steel, with even greater phi
ability. The secret of its composition
did not learn, but I was told tina
the supply of the necessary ingredi
ents which went to make the aIIo-
was almost unlimited and that by tn
use of the new metal it was hoped t,
solve the problems arising from tn
shortage of steel.
The Phial of Death
But it was in Erlach's specia
branch of science that the real hor
rors of the German method of max
ing war were brought home to me
He had reserved the visit to his labor
atory till the last.
Erlach took me to a small labora
tory where there were housed a mum
Der of rats and mice in cages. Som
were ALREADY dead, and others Law i
q state of semi-stupor. These it'll
animals had been extensively expert
mented upon by the bacteriologist
who had infected them with variou
germs.
From dark cupboard in one cor
ner of the place Erlach took a sma
phial which he showed me with glet
Here in this little phial,' said Ell
ZACH, sis the great discovery, the sc
cret which I told you of yesterday.
And with this he carefully replace
it in the cupboard, locking the doc
after him.
That little phial," said ErIacl
contains the germs of a disease NOR
frightful than the plague, becaus
much quicker in its action, and eve
more infectious. Two persons infect
ed might cause devastation in a cit
like London. We shall spread
broadcast in shells and bombs, an
by any other means which are like
to be successful"
at once saw the great possibil
ties of this terrible method of KILN
humanity. German agents might ca!
lily carry a small phial to Britain
leave it in a train, and the first pc
son to open it would become fatal
infected. Rapidly the disease woul
spread, and cities and towns wouI
be decimated.
I inquired from Erlach whether tt
Germans would not be afraid to IL.
such dreadful methods, lest the
themselves should become infected.
NO" said Erlach, when II
germs have been exposed to the a
mosphere for brief time they b.
: come innocuous. Those people wi
breath them in Immediately after IL
explosion of a shell or bomb will sur
ly die"
The Bitter Bit
e A few days after two of Erlach
colleagues were discovered by II
= professor lying dead on the floor
= the laboratory, and near to them W
t found an open phial, which had co
It tanned the death dealing germs T.
d two men had been stricken with t
Q dread disease while experimental
q and had apparently died in great a
n ony. Erlach was staggered and gray
ly alarmed at the discovery T